China Urges Philippines to Stop Intrusions and Provocations in South China Sea

Dragon Media News Desk

China has urged the Philippines to immediately stop intruding into airspace and waters under China’s jurisdiction and engaging in provocative activities in the South China Sea. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Tuesday that Philippine aircraft and vessels had entered areas under China’s jurisdiction without permission.

Responding to a question about Philippine accusations that Chinese military and coast guard personnel had harassed its government aircraft and vessels, Guo said China had sovereignty over Huangyan Dao and Nansha Qundao, including Zhongye Dao and Tiexian Jiao, as well as their adjacent waters. He added that China had sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the relevant waters.

Guo said the scope of Philippine territory was defined by several international treaties and that the islands claimed by China lay beyond that scope. He said Philippine aircraft and vessels had entered the airspace and waters in question without China’s permission in recent days, disrupting China’s routine law enforcement operations. Such actions, he said, seriously violated China’s sovereignty and jurisdiction and undermined peace and stability in the South China Sea.

Guo said it was legitimate and justified for the Chinese military and coast guard to respond in accordance with the law. He added that China would continue to take necessary measures to protect its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, and urged the Philippines to stop its intrusions and provocations.

According to Xinhua, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Southern Theater Command drove away a Philippine C-208 aircraft on Saturday after it entered the airspace over Huangyan Dao without approval from the Chinese government.