Manila (dpa) – The Philippines filed a protest with China over the incursion of a navy ship and two other vessels into its waters in the disputed South China Sea, the foreign affairs department said Sunday. The People's Liberation Army Navy ship and the two other vessels were sighted near Sabina Shoal on December 11 and 12, the department said. The shoal is located within the Philippines' 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone. Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario called the intrusions “clear violations” of a 2002 code of conduct among nations claiming parts of the South China Sea, as well as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Philippines has threatened to elevate the dispute to the UN after efforts to resolve the row failed to gain support from South-East Asian neighbors. Aside from the Philippines and China, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan also have claims over South China Sea islands, which straddle key shipping lanes and are believed to be rich in minerals. The Philippines filed several diplomatic protests with China last year over intrusions into its waters and airspace. China shrugged off the protests, insisting that it owns the South China Sea. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/c6nDu Tags: China, Philippines, Sea, Water Section: East Asia, Latest News
