Malaysia late Monday summoned Beijings’s envoy to the Southeast Asian country in protest after Chinese vessels entered its maritime economic zone in the disputed West Philippine Sea.
Kuala Lumpur summoned Chinese ambassador Ouyang Yujing “to convey Malaysia’s position and protest against the presence and activities of Chinese vessels, including a survey vessel, in Malaysia’s Exclusive Economic Zone”, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The ministry accused China of going against local and international law with the presence of its ships off the coast of Sabah and Sarawak states, on the Malaysian part of Borneo island.
Monday’s move was the second time this year Malaysia has summoned Beijing’s envoy to protest Chinese activity related to the hotly contested waters.
In June, Malaysia scrambled fighter jets to intercept 16 Chinese military aircraft that appeared off Borneo over the West Philippine Sea, where it has overlapping territorial claims with Beijing.
Malaysia accused China of breaching its sovereignty, while Beijing said the flight was routine training.
Malaysia-China relations are usually warm but have been ruffled by recent tension-raising incidents over the sea, which is home to key shipping lanes and is believed to harbor rich oil and gas deposits.
“Malaysia’s consistent position and actions are based on international law, in defense of our sovereignty and sovereign rights in our waters,” the foreign ministry statement said Monday, adding the country had “also protested against the previous encroachments by other foreign vessels not our waters.”
China has laid claim to nearly all of the West Philippine Sea and has built numerous military outposts on small islands and atolls, angering others with competing claims to the waters, including Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan.
The United States has also sent warships through the waters to assert international rights to freedom of navigation, angering China. — Agence France-Presse
Four more members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) were apprehended by the Joint Task Force Central in Maguindanao on Wednesday (August 18,...
As the Philippine Army's 11th Infantry Division (ID) boosts its anti-terror campaign in the province of Sulu, top officers have been reshuffled.
The 11ID, also...
A Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters' leader and ten of his comrades surrendered to the military in Barangay Kuloy, Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao on Friday, August...
Amid the Joint Task Force Central's heightened battle against loose firearms and the unwavering cooperation of stakeholders, more weaponry were surrendered in Wao, Lanao...
During the first eight months of 2021, the government's fight against the proliferation of unsecured guns yielded 56 firearms in Tawi-Tawi.
Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan,...
On the morning of August 6, 2021, elements of the 40th Infantry Battalion welcomed 13 members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters who voluntarily...