Chinese travel agencies have suspended tourist packages to the Philippines and promised refunds to customers who have booked trips, Chinese state media reported Thursday, as tensions over disputed islands in the South China Sea escalated.
On Tuesday, China's embassy in Manila posted an advisory on its website asking its citizens to stay indoors, avoid demonstrations and refrain from confrontations with locals.
The protest organisers plan similar actions at China's embassies and consulates in the United States, Canada, Australia, Italy, and other Asian capitals. Beijing has accused Manila of using the standoff to incite domestic opinion that hasdamaged Sino-Philippine relations.
Hong said Beijing would closely follow indications from the Philippine foreign minister that Manila would put forward a new proposal to ease friction over the disputed area, known as the Scarborough Shoal in English and Huangyan island in Chinese.
NATIONALIST IRE
The dispute is one of myriad of conflicting claims overislands, reefs and shoals in the South China Sea that pit China against the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, and Taiwan.
