Philippines Flags Near-Doubling of Chinese Presence in Disputed South China Sea
Manila recorded 101 Chinese navy and coast guard ships in the South China Sea. The Philippine Coast Guard unveiled its first dedicated command centre in the Spratly island chain, and the Philippines filed a formal protest with China over a floating structure spotted near the disputed Scarborough Shoal. The Philippine task force on South China Sea issues confirmed on Wednesday that a floating platform previously detected in the Scarborough Shoal has been removed.
Why it matters: The protest, the new command centre and the ship count place maritime security and contested sovereignty in the South China Sea at the centre of the Philippines' China policy.