Philippines alarmed by Chinese ships moving closer to shore

Manila: The Philippines said Tuesday it was alarmed by Chinese coast guard patrols which are growing closer to the country s shore. Beijing claims...

Manila: The Philippines said Tuesday it was alarmed by Chinese coast guard patrols which are growing closer to the country's shore.

Beijing claims most of the South China Sea despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

The Philippines said China's deployment this month of a "monster" coast guard vessel demonstrated Beijing's "increasing aggression" in the disputed waterway.

"It's getting closer to the Philippine coastline... and that is alarming," National Security Council spokesman Jonathan Malaya told journalists Tuesday.

Chinese ships have been deployed closer to the Philippine coast this year, Malaya told AFP, with the latest movements an "intimidation tactic" intended to discourage Filipino fishing.