--- description: According to Philippine media, Chinese vessels now control Quirino Atoll, also known as Jackson Atoll, in the disputed South China Sea title: China Takes Over Atoll Near the Philippines, Report Says image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Chinese Ships Have Taken Over an Atoll in the South China Sea, Reports Say by [Rishi Iyengar](/author/rishi-iyengar/) ## Rishi Iyengar Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 2, 2016 7:51 AM CUT by [Rishi Iyengar](/author/rishi-iyengar/) ## Rishi Iyengar Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 2, 2016 7:51 AM CUT China has [seized a disputed atoll](http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/03/02/1558682/china-takes-philippine-atoll "undefined") off the coast of the Philippines in the South China Sea, Philippine media reported on Wednesday, with at least five Chinese ships denying access to Filipino fishermen. The ships now effectively control Quirino Atoll — also known as Jackson Atoll — a spot heavily frequented by fishermen from the nearby Palawan province and several other parts of the country, the _Philippine Star_ newspaper reported. Local fishermen, requesting anonymity, told the _Philippine Star_ that they were chased away from the area by Chinese boats last week, while the mayor of the northern city of Kalayaan said China has had vessels stationed there for over a month. “They have many ships there,” Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon Jr. said, although he did not provide details. Brigadier-General Restituto Padilla, a Philippine military spokesman, [told](http://www.reuters.com/article/us-southchinasea-china-philippines-idUSKCN0W402A "undefined") Reuters that they were “still verifying” reports of the Chinese presence. “We want to make sure if the presence is permanent,” he said. The Philippines is one of several countries — along with Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan — disputing China’s control of the Spratly island chain in the South China Sea and its [claim](http://time.com/4034455/south-china-sea-admiral-yuan-yubai-maritime-dispute/ "undefined") that the water body is its sovereign territory. China appears to have stepped up its ever-increasing military presence in the region recently, with its deployment of [missiles](http://time.com/4226945/south-china-sea-island-missiles-woody-vietnam-taiwan/ "undefined") and [fighter jets](http://time.com/4235089/south-china-sea-woody-island-fighter-jets/ "undefined") on yet another disputed island last month drawing the [ire](http://time.com/4228622/south-china-sea-missiles-kerry-u-s/ "undefined") of the U.S. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4244301/china-philippines-jackson-atoll-south-china-sea/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4244301/china-philippines-jackson-atoll-south-china-sea/"},"headline":"Chinese Ships Have Taken Over an Atoll in the South China Sea, Reports Say","datePublished":"2016-03-02T07:51:01.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T15:32:06.633Z","description":"Filipino fishermen say they have been chased away by Chinese ships","url":"https://time.com/4244301/china-philippines-jackson-atoll-south-china-sea/","keywords":["China","Philippines","South China Sea"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Rishi Iyengar","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/rishi-iyengar/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4244301/china-philippines-jackson-atoll-south-china-sea/","name":"Chinese Ships Have Taken Over an Atoll in the South China Sea, Reports Say"}}]}] ```