Manila, Jan. 31 -- Suspected Chinese spies posing as Taiwanese tourists were arrested in the Philippines after allegedly taking photographs of Philippine Coast Guard ships, Taipei Times reported.

According to local media, the two suspects had been staying at a resort in Palawan, where they discreetly used their phones from a secluded location to record the comings and goings of coast guard vessels.

Palawan is located near the Spratly Islands, a key area of dispute in the South China Sea, and tensions between China and the Philippines have escalated in recent years over territorial claims. The arrested suspects are also accused of using drones without authorisation and installing cameras on coconut trees at the resort to monitor the ship...