US warns China: Don’t use warships to threaten PH fishermen

Posted on March 4, 2016

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United States has warn China not to use its Navy to intimidate fishing vessels in the West Philippine Sea.

“We are aware of these press reports regarding the Chinese vessels operating near Jackson Atoll in the contested areas of the South China Sea,” state department spokesperson Mark Toner said at a news briefing, referring to Quirino Atoll on the Philippine side of the Spratly archipelago.
“We don’t want them using … their Navy to intimidate other fishing vessels in that region,” Toner said.
Philippine officials reported on Wednesday that China had sent seven ships to Quirino Atoll in recent weeks, preventing Filipino fishermen from accessing traditional fishing grounds.
Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario confirmed the report but according to him the said vessels were gone by Wednesday.