Chinese coastguards has rescued Filipino fishermen from a destroyed boat near the disputed West Philippine Sea Shoal, according to a Philippine Coast Guard official Friday.
The rescued fishermen was transferred by the Chinese Coastguard to the Philippine Coastguard ship, this is the a rare event that both countries coastguard became too close in Scarborough Shoal because of the PH-China tension.
“As we speak, the Chinese vessel is linking up with our own ship to turn over the two Filipino fishermen,” said by Armand Balilo the Coast Guard spokesman Commander.
This event is a result of the newly built friendship between China and the Philippines after President Rodrigo Duterte visited Beijing to fix the dispute between the two countries.
Few years ago, Chinese Coastguards were aggressive to the Filipino Fishermen, but everything changes when the new administration decided to negotiate with China instead of pushing the Arbitral Award gave by Permanent Court of Arbitration to the Philippines.
Since last month, Filipino fishermen allowed to fish near the disputed Scarborough Shoal. But President Duterte planned an executive order to forbid any fishing activities inside the shoal where the fishes breed.
