Manila, Aug 24 (UNI) Philipines' defence minister Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has called the "nine-dash line" a mere fabrigation by People's Republic of China(PRC) for claiming most of the South China Sea and accused Beijing of illegally occupying the maritime territory belonging to Philippines.
The nine dash line is the vaguely located demarcation line used by China (People's Republic of China) for claiming major parts of the South China Sea.
The Minister made these remarks on Sunday amid a fresh dispute between Manila and Beijing over the Scarborough shoal. The shoal has long been a flashpoint between the two countries.
The Philippine's foreign ministry last week lodged a diplomatic protest with China over alleged confiscation by China's coast guard of fishing equipment belonging to Fillipino fishermen near the shoal.
China took Scarborough from the Philippines in 2012 after a standoff. The shoal is one of the region's richest fishing grounds.
As per a report by the Straits Times Lorenzana refered to the shoal as lying in Philippines' exclusive economic zone, he said that China's claim of having historical rights over this area enclosed by their nine-dash line is merely their imagination.
UNI XC RKM PS 1653