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Teodoro Locsin Jr, Secretary of Foreign Affairs for the Philippines, justified his decision citing the “continued presence of Chinese fishing vessels in vicinity” of the reef.
Now, according to the Washington-based Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI), many of the ships may be headed back to the Union Banks.
The development has sparked concerns China may be ramping up its efforts to claim land in the disputed waters.
The Iroquois Reef sits northeast of the Spratly Islands and is believed to be rich in oil and gas.
The AMTI said in a recent report: “Recent imagery shows that the number of ships at Iroquois has fallen since the Philippine protest, but it also suggests that many of those vessels likely headed back to Union Banks, where numbers are now reaching the levels seen in March.
“This is evidence of the Chinese militia’s shell game in the Spratly Islands.
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