Philippines Deploys Warships to South China Sea Amid Reports China Building ‘Artificial Island’

Philippines Deploys Warships to South China Sea Amid Reports China Building ‘Artificial Island’

The Philippines deployed ships to a disputed area in the South China Sea, where it accused the People’s Republic of China (PRC) of building an “artificial island” amid the two Asian countries’s ongoing conflict over the territory, the office of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in a statement.

“The Philippine Coast Guard (PGC) has deployed its BRP Teresa Magbanua to monitor the supposed illegal activities of China, creating an ‘artificial island’ on Escoda Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) by destroying the coral reefs,” the statement read.

According to Jay Tarriela, the spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), China has deployed vessels and divers to explore the Sabina Shoal, which Manila calls the Escoda Shoal, for reclamation. In response to the Chinese research vessels, the PCG has deployed patrol vessels, as well as inflatable boats, to monitor the undertaking and deter China’s activities near the Philippines’ coast.