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Chinese trawler fleet on Whitsun Reef on March 27th
Photo: AP
Beijing is single-mindedly expanding its influence in the South China Sea: around 200 Chinese ships had recently gathered in front of the Whitsun Reef, which belongs to the Spratly Islands - harmless fishermen's ships according to Chinese representations, spearheads of a growing maritime militia, as the government of the Philippines fears and fears as international experts confirm.
When at least seven of the ships were put into service, high-ranking military officials were present, reports US naval expert Andrew Erickson.
And the movements of the seven ships indicated not the usual routes of fishing trawlers, but paramilitary patrols.
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South China Sea with Spratly Islands
The South China Sea is about one and a half times the size of the Mediterranean Sea.
All neighboring states lay claim to parts of the sea area, which is rich in fish and raw materials, and almost all of them maintain bases.
China, however, claims the entire sea for itself and has developed islands of the Paracel and Spratly groups into naval, air force and missile bases.
This increasingly exacerbates Beijing's conflict with the US and its allies in the region.
Provocative act of militarization
Even the Philippines, which under President Rodrigo Duterte were looking for Beijing's closeness, now see an opponent in dominant China again.
Last week, Defense Minister Delfin Lorenzana described the meeting of the Chinese Armada on Whitsun Reef as a "provocative act of militarization" and ordered patrol flights by the Philippine Air Force.
US security advisor Jake Sullivan telephoned his Filipino counterpart on Wednesday, and the two sides agreed to "coordinate closely."
Washington and Manila have a defense alliance.
On Friday, the Philippine Foreign Minister Teodoro Locsin met with his Chinese colleague Wang Yi.
Their conversation seems to have been fruitless, because on Saturday the Chinese embassy in Manila confirmed that the Whitsun reef was “part of the Chinese Nansha Islands.
The waters around Niu'e Jiao (the Chinese name of the reef, Red.) Have been fishing grounds for Chinese fishermen for many years.
"Get out there"
Since then, the dispute has increased again: on Sunday, Defense Minister Lorenzana demanded that the Chinese recognize Manila's claims to the exclusive economic zone that an international arbitration tribunal had awarded the Philippines in 2016.
“You have no reason to be there.
These ships should move away from there.
Get out there. "
On Saturday, according to Lorenzana, 44 Chinese ships were still anchored on the Whitsun Reef.
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