US bares new Chinese activity around Bajo de Masinloc
The United States has seen Chinese activity around Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough or Panatag Shoal), which was seized by China from the Philippines nearly four years ago that could be a precursor to more land reclamation in the disputed South China Sea, the US Navy chief said on Thursday. The head of US naval operations, Admiral John Richardson, expressed concern that an international court ruling expected in coming weeks on a case brought by the Philippines against China over its South China Sea claims could be a trigger for Beijing to declare an exclusion zone in the busy trade route. Richardson told Reuters the United States was weighing responses to such a move. The Department of Foreign Affairs is currently looking into these reports. “We have to verify the report of Chinese activity in Scarborough Shoal from concerned government agencies,” DFA spokesman Charles Jose said in a [...]