MANILA, Philippines — The Chinese research vessel Jia Geng was only allowed to “seek shelter” for “humanitarian considerations” on an emergency request from the Chinese Embassy in Manila, but “not to stay,” Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said on Tuesday.
Locsin also said the Philippine Coast Guard had “zero authority” to allow the Chinese vessel to stay in Philippine waters.
The Jia Geng is the same vessel that was seen in northern Philippine waters last year. It left when its unauthorized presence within Philippine territory raised howls in Manila.
But the vessel reentered Philippine territory, again without permission from local authorities, on Jan. 25, th…
Keep on reading: Locsin: Sino research ship allowed to ‘seek shelter, not to stay’