MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th December, 2022) Manila filed a diplomatic protest over the Chinese coast guard's seizure of missile debris that it discovered in the West Philippine Sea in November, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said on Friday.
The Philippines sent a note of protest to the Chinese embassy, demanding an explanation for the incident, the ministry said in a statement.
Chinese diplomats in Manila had previously been issued a verbal warning, the ministry noted.
In November, the Philippines found fragments of an unknown missile, which China later confiscated. However, Beijing reportedly denied the use of force, saying that the "transfer of debris" had been preceded by "friendly consultations" between the parties.
The Chinese embassy in Manila has no information on Beijing's reaction to the diplomatic protest, according to The Manila Bulletin newspaper.
On Wednesday, the Philippine parliament passed a resolution condemning what it called China's "intimidation" in the West Philippine Sea. The country's foreign ministry said it appreciates the clarity with which the Senate has expressed its views on a wide scope of issues on the disputed waters.
The archipelago of the Paracel Islands, where the debris were found, has for years been considered the cause of multinational conflict in the South China Sea.
