Philippines says it seized cyanide on Chinese boats operating around disputed atoll | CNN

The Philippines discovered cyanide on Chinese boats operating around a disputed atoll in the South China Sea, security officials from the country said on Monday. Authorities said laboratory tests confirmed the presence of the highly toxic substance in bottles seized by the Philippine navy in operations at Second Thomas Shoal last year. Officials warned that the cyanide could have had serious consequences for marine life and weakened the reef supporting a warship that Manila grounded on the atoll to reinforce its maritime claim. “We wish to underscore that the use of cyanide in Ayungin Shoal is a form of sabotage that seeks to kill local fish populations, depriving Navy personnel of a vital food source,” Cornelio Valencia, National Security Council spokesperson, told a press conference using the Philippines’ name for the atoll. Valencia added that cyanide could damage the reef and “ultimately compromise” the warship’s stability. The Chinese foreign ministry dismissed the Philippines’ assertions, calling them a “stunt.” “The Philippine side illegally harassed the Chinese fishing boats conducting normal fishing, grabbed the fishermen’s living supplies, and staged

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