Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered an end to all foreign scientific research missions in a vast expanse of waters off the country’s northeast and called on the military to “chase out” unauthorized vessels, an official said on Tuesday. He issued the order in a Cabinet meeting late Monday after doubts were raised over the country’s sovereign rights in the offshore region called Benham Rise. Controversy arose following reports that the Department of Foreign Affairs had allowed China to conduct marine scientific research in Benham Rise. Not only China, according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, the government has approved a larger number of such requests from the United States, Japan and South Korea.