TERRITORIAL DISPUTE

4. Anti-China protesters return from Kalayaan Island

Nearly 50 young Filipinos returned Sunday, January 3,from a remote Philippine-held island in the South China Sea where they had staged a week-long protest against Beijing’s claims in the disputed waterway. The group arrived at Pag-asa Island on December 26 as part of an effort to stir up popular opposition to China’s claim to most of the contested sea, including Pag-asa, also known as Thitu. The 47 youths have now returned to Palawan Island in the Philippines, Joy Ban-eg, a coordinator of the group, confirmed. Pag-asa Island is part of the Spratlys chain in the South China Sea. China claims most of the sea but the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Taiwan have conflicting claims. In a related development, the Philippines will protest China’s test flight on a newly completed airstrip in an artificial island in the South China Sea. Philippine foreign affairs spokesperson Charles Jose told Rappler that Manila would contest Beijing’s landing of a civilian plane on Fiery Cross Reef on Saturday, January 2. Manila’s move follows a similar protest from Vietnam, which accused China of violating Hanoi’s sovereignty. The United States also expressed concern that the test flight will aggravate tensions among claimant countries.

Anti-China protesters return from Philippine-held Island

Philippines to protest China’s test-flight on Spratlys