Filipino retired police officer and former town mayor Abner Afuang burns a Chinese flag in protest over territorial disputes in the South China Sea, in Manila yesterday. The Philippines has protested against the presence of Chinese vessels in a gas-rich area within its exclusive economic zone in the disputed South China Sea, an official said. The vessels were allegedly conducting ‘sovereignty patrols’ at Reed Bank, which the Philippines calls Recto Bank, an area believed to be rich in oil and gas reserves, said foreign ministry spokesman Charles Jose. The Philippines has filed an arbitration case questioning China’s claims to the South China Sea territories before a UN tribunal in The Hague. The tribunal has given Beijing until December 15 to file a reply, but China has refused to participate in the arbitration.
