South China Sea: Philippines quietly protests China's weaponry on artificial islands

By Lindsay Murdoch
Updated January 17 2017 - 2:08pm, first published 12:50pm
There is recent evidence Beijing has installed weapons on all seven of the islands it has built up in the South China Sea.   Photo: New York Times
There is recent evidence Beijing has installed weapons on all seven of the islands it has built up in the South China Sea. Photo: New York Times
Nominee for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says that China should be denied access to Islands in the South China Sea. Photo: CSIS
Nominee for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says that China should be denied access to Islands in the South China Sea. Photo: CSIS

The Philippines has filed a low-key diplomatic protest over reports that China has installed anti-aircraft and anti-missile weapons on seven artificial islands in the flashpoint waters of the South China Sea.