Manila: The Philippines is pulling out two government vessels from a two-month stand-off with China at a disputed shoal amid bad weather, an official said Saturday.
The foreign secretary said President Benigno Aquino ordered the withdrawal of the made.”
The shoal lies off the Philippines’ north-western coast within Manila’s exclusive coast guard and Bureau of Fisheries ships from Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea Friday.
“President Aquino ordered both our ships to return to port due to increasing bad weather,” Albert del Rosario said. “When the weather improves, a re-evaluation will be economic zone, but is claimed by Beijing along with other territories in the South China Sea.
The weather bureau warned of heavy rains and rough seas in the northern and eastern Philippines from typhoon Guchol.
The storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometres per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 150 kph.
Last week, China pulled out two ships that monitor its maritime territory from a lagoon at the shoal.
The conflict began on April 10 when the two Chinese naval ships blocked Philippine navy personnel from arresting the crew of eight Chinese fishing boats for alleged poaching.
The shoal is 230 km west of the Philippines’ northern province of Zambales and 870 km from the nearest coast of China in Hainan province.
China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, which straddles key shipping lanes in the region and is believed to be rich in resources. The Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan also have overlapping claims in the sea.
Manila has urged the international community to take a stand on the dispute, warning that China’s claim could be a potential threat to freedom of navigation and unimpeded commerce.
