Chinese ships remain an intimidating presence in a Philippine-controlled shoal in the contested Spratly Islands chain, where a recent laser-pointing incident has become a new source of tension between the two countries.
During an aerial visit to the area earlier in the week arranged by the Philippine Coast Guard, reporters witnessed how the only Philippines' outpost in Ayungin Shoal in Spratly islands was decrepit, in contrast to the teeming number of Chinese Coast Guard vessels that surrounded the shoal.
The rare trip came after a vessel belonging to the Southeast Asian country's coast guard was locked in with a "military-grade laser" from a Chinese coast guard ship in the vicinity of the Ayungin Shoal on Feb. 6.