MANILA – The Philippines criticised on May 8 a “high-risk” manoeuvre by a Chinese vessel near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in a rare incident involving warships from the two navies.
The Scarborough Shoal – a triangular chain of reefs and rocks in the contested South China Sea – has been a flashpoint between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012.
The May 5 encounter took place “approximately 11.8 nautical miles south-east” of the Scarborough Shoal, the military said, during ongoing US-Philippine military exercises that Beijing has slammed as destabilising.
“The Chinese frigate BN 554 was documented tailing PS35 (BRP Emilio Jacinto) at close…