Philippines Coast Guard removes fishing barrier ‘installed by China’ in disputed shoal

The Philippines Coast Guard said Monday (25 September) it has complied with a presidential order to remove a floating barrier placed by China’s coast guard to prevent Filipino fishing boats from entering a lagoon in a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.

Philippine officials condemned the installation of the 300-meter-long barrier at the entrance to the lagoon at Scarborough Shoal as a violation of international law and their Southeast Asian nation’s sovereignty.

Chinese coast guard vessels laid the rope and net barrier, held up by buoys, last week as a Philippine government fisheries vessel approached and more than 50 fishing boats swarmed outside the shoal.