The Department of Foreign Affairs lodged two more diplomatic protests against China on Wednesday, even as eight local business groups joined Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and other government officials in calling on the Chinese to withdraw their ships from Julian Felipe Reef. Beijing, however, has yet to officially react to the protests, which saw organizations of the country’s top businessmen – many of them with Chinese ancestry -- joining citizens’ groups, lawmakers, and other government officials in objecting to the naval incursions for the first time yesterday. The latest DFA protests, done for the third straight day, were filed over reports that over 240 Chinese vessels are “swarming” in various reefs and islands in the country’s exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Wednesday.

Requejo, R. E., Cruz, M. V., & Ramos-Araneta, M. (2021, April 15). Protests vs. China mounting: Big trade groups join gov't in denouncing Chinese incursions in WPS. Manila Standard, pp. A1, A2.