The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it had set up five buoys flying the national flag from May 10 to 12 in five areas in the waters of the South China Sea that the Philippines claims are within its EEZ, according to Reuters.
Philippine Coast Guard vessel on patrol in the South China Sea
The Philippines' move comes amid growing concerns over China's actions in the South China Sea as Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. pursues warmer ties with ally the United States, according to Reuters.
In a joint statement after President Marcos Jr. met with US President Joe Biden at the White House on May 1, the two leaders stressed their firm commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea. They noted the 2016 ruling by an international arbitration court that rejected China’s illegal “nine-dash line” claim in the South China Sea.
On May 8, in an interview with ABS-CBN News, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said that joint patrols in the East Sea between the Philippines, the US and several other countries could begin "very soon".
President Marcos Jr. had previously said that joint patrols in the South China Sea could begin this year. The countries participating in joint patrols in the South China Sea are the United States, Australia, Japan and South Korea, according to ABS-CBN News.
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