MANILA • More than 200 Chinese ships have been spotted near the Philippine-occupied Thitu Island in the South China Sea since the start of the year, triggering a diplomatic protest from the Philippines.

The fishing vessels stationed near the disputed island are likely part of China’s sea militia, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesman Salvador Panelo said at a briefing yesterday, citing information from the military. He said he was set to meet China’s ambassador to the South-East Asian nation and ask about the bolstered Chinese presence in the area, after the Philippine Foreign Affairs Department issued a protest.

Philippine soldiers will continue their patrols in the disputed area, military chief General Benjamin Madrigal Jr told reporters separately, adding that Chinese fishing vessels have repeatedly been spotted near the island. He urged a panel with representatives from both nations tasked with resolving South China Sea disputes to address Chinese presence in the area.

“We are looking for ways to address this,” Madrigal said on the sidelines of the opening ceremonies for annual joint military drills between the Philippines and the US.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said China has sovereignty over the Spratly Islands and its adjacent waters, including Zhongye Island, Beijing’s name for the disputed atoll. The area was a traditional ground for Chinese fishermen, who’d been operating there unchanged for years, it said. — Bloomberg