Philippines says no standoff after removing floating barrier in South China Sea

The Philippines on Tuesday said China’s coastguard had removed remnants of a floating barrier severed by its Filipino counterparts at a fiercely contested shoal in the South China Sea, adding there was no standoff or signs of aggression.
The Philippines on Monday executed what it called a “special operation” to cut a 300-metre barrier installed by China at the Scarborough Shoal, one of Asia’s most contested maritime features, a move likely to further strain ties that have deteriorated in the past year.
China’s coastguard was measured in its response to a Philippine vessel that reached its closest point to the rocky outcrop since China seized control of it in 2012, according to Commodore Jay Tarriela, a coastguard spokesperson.