Chinese travel agencies suspend routes to Philippines

MANILA, Philippines - Chinese travel agencies have suspended travel to the Philippines following the escalation of the situation at Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, which is called by the Chinese as Huangyan Island.

Tourists companies such as Ctrip.com, China's largest online travel service company, and Beijing Caissa International Travel Service Co. Ltd., have halted travel tours to the Philippines and promised to refund tourists that have signed for tours to the country.

The travel agencies said they will watch the development of the situation, and adopt precautionary measures to ensure safety of their clients currently traveling in the Philippines.

China's Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying said Tuesday that China is not optimistic about the situation in Panatag Shoal, and is fully prepared to respond to anything the Philippine side does to escalate the dispute.

The tension in the Philippine-claimed shoal, which is also called by the local government and local residents of Zambales province as Bajo de Masinloc, started on April 10 when the Philippine Navy ship BRP Gregorio del Pilar was prevented by two Chinese maritime surveillance ships from apprehending crews of Chinese fishing boats, who are illegally fishing in the shoal's lagoon.

Before the Philippine Navy ship's crew attempted the apprehension, they boarded the Chinese fishing boats and discovered endangered marine species that were fished from the lagoon.

As of the Philippine Coast Guard's (PCG) last report, there are currently three Chinese maritime surveillance vessels and a ship from China's Fisheries Law Enforcement Command in the Panatag Shoal.

The Philippines, on the other hand, has put its PCG ship Edsa Dos and a vessel owned by the Philippines' Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources on standby at the disputed shoal.

The Philippine government has repeatedly said that it will not attempt to go to war against China over the shoal dispute. It said that it continues to look for ways to diplomatically resolve the situation.

China, meanwhile, had declined the Philippines' offer to bring the dispute to an international court. -- with Xinhua