Philippines tells China to stop ‘coercion, intimidation’ in South China Sea dispute

A vessel identified by the Philippine Coast Guard as a Chinese coast guard ship near Thitu Island in the South China Sea on March 9. - AFP

MANILA (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): A senior diplomat from the Philippines has told China that it must not resort to “coercion and intimidation” in addressing their maritime dispute in the South China Sea.

Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Theresa Lazaro said this at the start of the 7th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) on the disputed waters on Friday (March 24).