Sea feud with China flares as Marcos prepares for presidency

By JIM GOMEZ
Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine government has announced a new diplomatic protest against China over disputes in the South China Sea. It’s a long-thorny issue that has flared anew as the next Philippine president prepares to take office next month. The Department of Foreign Affairs says it filed a diplomatic protest over a unilateral Chinese fishing ban in disputed waters that include areas claimed by the Philippines. The Philippines also summoned a Chinese envoy in Manila last month to protest what it said was the shadowing of a research vessel. The conflicts are among the key challenges President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will face when he takes office.