South China Sea: Chinese Ships Have Left, Philippines May Still Protest

The Philippines confirmed Thursday that Chinese coast guard ships had left an area in the disputed South China Sea, but stressed the ships’ recent presence in the region may be used to bolster its arbitration case against Beijing in a ruling expected to be handed down in May.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, in a statement late Wednesday, said defense authorities reported seeing the ships at the Quirino or Jackson atolls two weeks ago although “there are no more sightings of the Chinese vessels as of today.”