Filipino fisherman Randy Megu has often braved the storms that spring up in the&nbsp;South&nbsp;China&nbsp;Sea, but these days he has a greater fear: seeing a Chinese maritime enforcement vessel on the horizon.

Five&nbsp;years&nbsp;after&nbsp;a landmark international arbitration court&nbsp;ruling&nbsp;repudiated&nbsp;China's claims to the waters where Megu fishes, the 48-year-old complains that his encounters with Chinese boats are more frequent than ever.

"I was so scared," said Megu, describing how a Chinese vessel had tracked his wooden outrigger boat for three hours some 140 nautical miles (260 km) from the coast in May.

He said other fishermen had reported being rammed or blasted with water cannons while working in what they considered their historic fishing grounds - which they had hoped to secure&nbsp;after&nbsp;the&nbsp;ruling&nbsp;in The Hague in 2016.

China's foreign ministry reiterated on Friday that Beijing did not accept the&nbsp;ruling&nbsp;nor any claims or actions based on it.&nbsp;China&nbsp;lays claim to most of the waters within a so-called Nine Dash Line, which is also contested by Brunei, Malaysia, the&nbsp;Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Chinese fishing vessels operating in the area are doing so in line with domestic and international law, the foreign ministry said in a statement to Reuters, adding they are not subject to&nbsp;China's annual summer fishing moratorium, which runs until Aug. 16.

EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE

In just one incident in March, the&nbsp;Philippines&nbsp;complained of incursions by what it said were more than 200 Chinese militia vessels into the exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which extends 200 nautical miles from its coast.

In its statement,&nbsp;China's foreign ministry did not address a question about the&nbsp;presence&nbsp;of Chinese ships in the&nbsp;Philippines' EEZ. Chinese diplomats previously said the boats were sheltering from rough&nbsp;seas and no militia were aboard.

"The data here is very clear," said Greg Poling of Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies. "Chinese Coast Guard ships and the militia are in the&nbsp;Philippines' EEZ more than they were&nbsp;five&nbsp;years&nbsp;ago."

A July 2020 opinion poll showed that 70% of Filipinos want the government to assert its claim in the&nbsp;South&nbsp;China&nbsp;Sea.

"We firmly reject attempts to undermine it; nay, even erase it from law, history and our collective memories," Foreign Minister Teodoro Locsin said in a statement last month.

The country has made 128 diplomatic protests over&nbsp;China's activities in contested waters since 2016, and coast guard and bureau of fisheries vessels have conducted "sovereign" patrols in the&nbsp;Philippines' EEZ.

But the&nbsp;Philippines&nbsp;has done little else to press its claim under firebrand President Rodrigo Duterte, who has made the relationship with&nbsp;China&nbsp;a key part of his foreign policy and said it is "inutile" to try to challenge its vastly bigger neighbour.

After&nbsp;some of his cabinet stepped up rhetoric over the waters early this year, Duterte barred them from speaking out.

"China&nbsp;is more in control. The&nbsp;only&nbsp;thing the Duterte government can point to is they haven't had a major incident," Poling said. "If you just keep surrendering to the bully, of course there won't be a fight."

The Philippine coast guard and ministry of defence did not respond to requests for comment.

China's&nbsp;presence&nbsp;has also grown elsewhere in the&nbsp;South&nbsp;China&nbsp;Sea. It has continued to strengthen artificial islands equipped with secured ports, airstrips and surface-to-air-missiles.

Confrontations with Vietnam have set back energy projects. Malaysia has complained about the actions of Chinese vessels. Their&nbsp;presence&nbsp;have also drawn concern in Indonesia - even though it is not technically a claimant state.

Occasional freedom of navigation operations by the U.S. Navy have challenged&nbsp;China's claims but show no sign of discouraging Beijing from deploying vessels&nbsp;around&nbsp;the&nbsp;Philippines&nbsp;or elsewhere.

Before his election in 2016, Duterte had said he would stand up for his country's claims in the&nbsp;South&nbsp;China&nbsp;Sea.

He is due to step down at the end of his single six-year term next year, but talk that he could be vice president or be succeeded by his daughter have raised doubts that policies will change.

The fishermen of Pangasinan see little hope of a challenge to the Chinese vessels that now dictate their movements.

"Now, it is as if we are the ones stealing from our own backyard," said 51-year old fisherman Christopher de Vera.

Filipino fisherman Randy Megu has often braved the storms that spring up in the South China Sea, but these days he has a greater fear: seeing a Chinese maritime enforcement vessel on the horizon.

Filipino fisherman Randy Megu has often braved the storms that spring up in the South China Sea, but these days he has a greater fear: seeing a Chinese maritime enforcement vessel on the horizon. Five years after a landmark international arbitration court ruling repudiated China's claims to the waters where Megu fishes, the 48-year-old complains that his encounters with Chinese boats are more frequent than ever. "I was so scared," said Megu, describing how a Chinese vessel had tracked his wooden outrigger boat for three hours some 140 nautical miles (260 km) from the coast in May. He said other fishermen had reported being rammed or blasted with water cannons while working in what they considered their historic fishing grounds - which they had hoped to secure after the ruling in The Hague in 2016. China's foreign ministry reiterated on Friday that Beijing did not accept the ruling nor any claims or actions based on it. China lays claim to most of the waters within a so-called Nine Dash Line, which is also contested by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. Chinese fishing vessels operating in the area are doing so in line with domestic and international law, the foreign ministry said in a statement to Reuters, adding they are not subject to China's annual summer fishing moratorium, which runs until Aug. 16. EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE In just one incident in March, the Philippines complained of incursions by what it said were more than 200 Chinese militia vessels into the exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which extends 200 nautical miles from its coast. In its statement, China's foreign ministry did not address a question about the presence of Chinese ships in the Philippines' EEZ. Chinese diplomats previously said the boats were sheltering from rough seas and no militia were aboard. "The data here is very clear," said Greg Poling of Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies. "Chinese Coast Guard ships and the militia are in the Philippines' EEZ more than they were five years ago." A July 2020 opinion poll showed that 70% of Filipinos want the government to assert its claim in the South China Sea. "We firmly reject attempts to undermine it; nay, even erase it from law, history and our collective memories," Foreign Minister Teodoro Locsin said in a statement last month. The country has made 128 diplomatic protests over China's activities in contested waters since 2016, and coast guard and bureau of fisheries vessels have conducted "sovereign" patrols in the Philippines' EEZ. But the Philippines has done little else to press its claim under firebrand President Rodrigo Duterte, who has made the relationship with China a key part of his foreign policy and said it is "inutile" to try to challenge its vastly bigger neighbour. After some of his cabinet stepped up rhetoric over the waters early this year, Duterte barred them from speaking out. "China is more in control. The only thing the Duterte government can point to is they haven't had a major incident," Poling said. "If you just keep surrendering to the bully, of course there won't be a fight." The Philippine coast guard and ministry of defence did not respond to requests for comment. China's presence has also grown elsewhere in the South China Sea. It has continued to strengthen artificial islands equipped with secured ports, airstrips and surface-to-air-missiles. Confrontations with Vietnam have set back energy projects. Malaysia has complained about the actions of Chinese vessels. Their presence have also drawn concern in Indonesia - even though it is not technically a claimant state. Occasional freedom of navigation operations by the U.S. Navy have challenged China's claims but show no sign of discouraging Beijing from deploying vessels around the Philippines or elsewhere. Before his election in 2016, Duterte had said he would stand up for his country's claims in the South China Sea. He is due to step down at the end of his single six-year term next year, but talk that he could be vice president or be succeeded by his daughter have raised doubts that policies will change. The fishermen of Pangasinan see little hope of a challenge to the Chinese vessels that now dictate their movements. "Now, it is as if we are the ones stealing from our own backyard," said 51-year old fisherman Christopher de Vera.

Five years after South China Sea ruling, China's presence around Philippines only growing

In balmy&nbsp;southern Taiwan, with its rural hamlets, industrial belts and slower-paced cities, a rising tide of residents are pushing back against opposition&nbsp;presidential&nbsp;hopeful<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-to-vote-in-shadow-of-china-pressure-hong-kong-protests-272816">&nbsp;Han Kuo-yu</a>, fearing he'll sell out core Taiwan interests to&nbsp;China.

Han, the mayor of the&nbsp;south's biggest city of Kaohsiung, had been expected to build his support base over the past year since winning office on a promise to help citizens "make a big fortune" by forging better economic ties with&nbsp;China.

Instead, as he prepares for the election on Saturday against incumbent president Tsai Ing-wen and her independence-minded <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-has-urgent-need-for-infiltration-law-in-face-of-china-president-tsai-ing-wen-270657">Democratic Progressive Party</a> (DPP), he has seen his fortunes wane, hammered by criticism over controversial public remarks and failing to deliver on campaign promises, including oil exploration in the&nbsp;South&nbsp;China&nbsp;Sea.

Last month, a coalition of groups called "Wecare Kaohsiung" held a mass anti-Han rally that drew tens of thousands, some holding signs with the words "Dismiss pro-Communist mayor".

"Every Taiwan leader needs to find a balance between the US&nbsp;and&nbsp;China, but with Han, he has completely shifted towards&nbsp;China," said Aaron Yin, one of the leaders of the movement.

Taiwan's&nbsp;vote for a new president and parliament comes at a delicate moment for its giant neighbour, and sentiment in&nbsp;southern Taiwan has become a key factor for the election, which could set the democratic island's future course with autocratic&nbsp;China.

In March last year, Han, whose Kuomintang Party favours close ties with&nbsp;China, paid a high-profile visit to Hong Kong and&nbsp;China, where he met with senior Chinese officials and reiterated his commitment to "one&nbsp;China" as a core of cross-strait relations.

Han's red-carpet treatment raised alarm bells, as many Taiwanese harbour a deep mistrust of&nbsp;China, especially after Chinese President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/pm-modi-president-xi-jinping-a-study-in-contrast-255342">Xi Jinping</a> threatened Taiwan with force.

<img alt="Taiwan's city of Tainan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="32f0fabd-2b96-4a06-a327-e2c729cef7f2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2857%29.jpg" />

"The main aim of this election is to reject any rapprochement with&nbsp;China," Yin told Reuters in a small office stacked with anti-Han pamphlets and those pledging solidarity with the pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.

Han, 62, has proven a divisive figure since reappearing in politics in 2017 to make a failed bid for the chairmanship of the Kuomintang. Known for fiery rhetoric, his ability to electrify crowds helped him clinch the mayorship of Kaohsiung in late 2018.

Although Han has said "one country, two systems" isn't an acceptable model for Taiwan, he has promised to restart dialogue with&nbsp;China&nbsp;if elected president and called for an agreement between&nbsp;China's Communists and the Kuomintang that both sides belong to "one&nbsp;China", with each having their own interpretation of what that means.

Han has described&nbsp;Taiwan's&nbsp;formal independence as scarier than syphilis and warned that Tsai's re-election could lead to a "volcano eruption" of tensions with&nbsp;China.

Wang Lin Chiao, a Kuomintang politician seeking a parliamentary seat in the&nbsp;southern township of Meinong, said that stability is paramount, and that continued engagement with&nbsp;China&nbsp;is the only way forward.

"The 21st century belongs to&nbsp;China," Wang said as she campaigned on a quiet street with a three-person support team, struggling to find people to speak to.

<img alt="Taiwan's city of Tainan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77de2807-231f-4aa2-932e-f4c74f826a1c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2858%29.jpg" />

"Taiwan needs a good future, so we don't want to meddle in sensitive political issues and change things. People only care about money here, and having a safe life," she said, noting a decline in Chinese tourists and exports of agricultural produce to&nbsp;China&nbsp;after curbs by Beijing last year.

But some, such as Chiu Yi-Ying, a DPP lawmaker competing against Wang for the 222,700-voter constituency, say Taiwan must further deepen its "New&nbsp;Southbound Policy" of economic engagement with 18 countries in&nbsp;South-east Asia, rather than rely on&nbsp;China.

Chiu peppers her lobbying with Hong Kong references, telling older voters that an influx of Chinese immigrants and tourists into Hong Kong since the city returned to Chinese rule in 1997 had substantially lengthened queues at public hospitals and depleted supplies of essentials like milk-powder.

"That's when they really understand that Hong Kong today is&nbsp;Taiwan's&nbsp;tomorrow," she told Reuters in her campaign office, where massive billboards feature her smiling beside Tsai.

Some farmers and pigeon breeders in the&nbsp;south's rural patchwork of ponds and fields say they've been scarred by past decades of conflicts with&nbsp;China&nbsp;and want to avoid that. But they can't ignore the realities of Hong Kong and the dangers faced by a more aggressive&nbsp;China&nbsp;under Xi.

"One country, two systems is not good," said Chen Jin-Wen, a pigeon breeder in the north of the historic port city of Tainan as he exercised his birds along a stretch of coastline overlooking the Taiwan Strait, referring to the model by which&nbsp;China&nbsp;has been ruling Hong Kong.

"You see what's happening in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong people are used to freedom, like Taiwan people," he said, as his racing birds pecked about in a wooden cage before bolting skywards.

"But mainland&nbsp;China&nbsp;is taking it away from them now," he said. "It's like my birds, they can fly free for a while but they always end up back in a cage."

In balmy southern Taiwan, with its rural hamlets, industrial belts and slower-paced cities, a rising tide of residents are pushing back against opposition presidential hopeful Han Kuo-yu, fearing he'll sell out core Taiwan interests to China.

In balmy southern Taiwan, with its rural hamlets, industrial belts and slower-paced cities, a rising tide of residents are pushing back against opposition presidential hopeful Han Kuo-yu, fearing he'll sell out core Taiwan interests to China. Han, the mayor of the south's biggest city of Kaohsiung, had been expected to build his support base over the past year since winning office on a promise to help citizens "make a big fortune" by forging better economic ties with China. Instead, as he prepares for the election on Saturday against incumbent president Tsai Ing-wen and her independence-minded Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), he has seen his fortunes wane, hammered by criticism over controversial public remarks and failing to deliver on campaign promises, including oil exploration in the South China Sea. Last month, a coalition of groups called "Wecare Kaohsiung" held a mass anti-Han rally that drew tens of thousands, some holding signs with the words "Dismiss pro-Communist mayor". "Every Taiwan leader needs to find a balance between the US and China, but with Han, he has completely shifted towards China," said Aaron Yin, one of the leaders of the movement. Taiwan's vote for a new president and parliament comes at a delicate moment for its giant neighbour, and sentiment in southern Taiwan has become a key factor for the election, which could set the democratic island's future course with autocratic China. In March last year, Han, whose Kuomintang Party favours close ties with China, paid a high-profile visit to Hong Kong and China, where he met with senior Chinese officials and reiterated his commitment to "one China" as a core of cross-strait relations. Han's red-carpet treatment raised alarm bells, as many Taiwanese harbour a deep mistrust of China, especially after Chinese President Xi Jinping threatened Taiwan with force. "The main aim of this election is to reject any rapprochement with China," Yin told Reuters in a small office stacked with anti-Han pamphlets and those pledging solidarity with the pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong. Han, 62, has proven a divisive figure since reappearing in politics in 2017 to make a failed bid for the chairmanship of the Kuomintang. Known for fiery rhetoric, his ability to electrify crowds helped him clinch the mayorship of Kaohsiung in late 2018. Although Han has said "one country, two systems" isn't an acceptable model for Taiwan, he has promised to restart dialogue with China if elected president and called for an agreement between China's Communists and the Kuomintang that both sides belong to "one China", with each having their own interpretation of what that means. Han has described Taiwan's formal independence as scarier than syphilis and warned that Tsai's re-election could lead to a "volcano eruption" of tensions with China. Wang Lin Chiao, a Kuomintang politician seeking a parliamentary seat in the southern township of Meinong, said that stability is paramount, and that continued engagement with China is the only way forward. "The 21st century belongs to China," Wang said as she campaigned on a quiet street with a three-person support team, struggling to find people to speak to. "Taiwan needs a good future, so we don't want to meddle in sensitive political issues and change things. People only care about money here, and having a safe life," she said, noting a decline in Chinese tourists and exports of agricultural produce to China after curbs by Beijing last year. But some, such as Chiu Yi-Ying, a DPP lawmaker competing against Wang for the 222,700-voter constituency, say Taiwan must further deepen its "New Southbound Policy" of economic engagement with 18 countries in South-east Asia, rather than rely on China. Chiu peppers her lobbying with Hong Kong references, telling older voters that an influx of Chinese immigrants and tourists into Hong Kong since the city returned to Chinese rule in 1997 had substantially lengthened queues at public hospitals and depleted supplies of essentials like milk-powder. "That's when they really understand that Hong Kong today is Taiwan's tomorrow," she told Reuters in her campaign office, where massive billboards feature her smiling beside Tsai. Some farmers and pigeon breeders in the south's rural patchwork of ponds and fields say they've been scarred by past decades of conflicts with China and want to avoid that. But they can't ignore the realities of Hong Kong and the dangers faced by a more aggressive China under Xi. "One country, two systems is not good," said Chen Jin-Wen, a pigeon breeder in the north of the historic port city of Tainan as he exercised his birds along a stretch of coastline overlooking the Taiwan Strait, referring to the model by which China has been ruling Hong Kong. "You see what's happening in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong people are used to freedom, like Taiwan people," he said, as his racing birds pecked about in a wooden cage before bolting skywards. "But mainland China is taking it away from them now," he said. "It's like my birds, they can fly free for a while but they always end up back in a cage."

Taiwan's China-friendly presidential hopeful faces backlash in divided south

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Five years after South China Sea ruling, China's presence around Philippines only growing

Taiwan's China-friendly presidential hopeful faces backlash in divided south