(Updated) Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said he has filed a diplomatic protest with China over the presence of around 220 Chinese vessels believed to be manned by maritime militia in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). “Diplomatic protest fired off tonight; can’t wait for first light,” Locsin said in a Twitter post Sunday night, March 21, 2021. Locsin filed the protest after the National Task Force for West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) confirmed that the Chinese vessels were sighted in line formation at the Julian Felipe Reef (Whitsun Reef) on March 7. Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Cirilito Sobejana said the Chinese vessels were still moored at the Julian Felipe Reef as of Monday, March 22.

Philippines protests Chinese maritime militia ships in WPS. (2021, March 23). SunStar Bacolod, p. 3.