Ship's trip 'shows restraint'

Beijing's decision to send a fishery administration vessel to the South China Sea did not violate a regional peace agreement, the Chinese embassy in Manila said yesterday.

"We only sent a fishery patrol ship - not a warship (which will) help with fishery and navigational protection," embassy spokesman Hua Ye said in a statement.

The statement - made a day after China's largest fishery administration ship reached the Xisha Islands - was in response to media reports that Beijing is "flexing its military might" against smaller claimants of the islands. The vessel was sent to protect fishing craft around the Nansha, Xisha and Zhongsha islands in China's southernmost maritime territory and demonstrate China's sovereignty over its islands, following the escalation of a spat over them, it said.