Recently, an incident in the South China Sea caused tensions between the Philippines and China. Philippine vessels tried to illegally deliver supplies to Second Thomas Shoal and had a scraping incident with China's Coast Guard. Subsequently, the Philippine side summoned the Chinese ambassador to express strong dissatisfaction with China's behavior and said that it was considering expelling the Chinese ambassador from the country.
However, this kind of behavior of the Philippine side is vexatious. According to international law and relevant signals, Ren'ai Jiao is within the territory of China, and the Philippines has no right to illegally occupy or transport supplies. Therefore, China expressed its strong response to the Philippine side's actions and made solemn representations.
The Philippines' actions not only violate international principles, but also violate the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and seriously infringe on China's sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. China will firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and take necessary measures to respond to the provocations of the Philippines.
At a time when the Philippines is frequently causing trouble, the United States has come forward to express its support for the Philippines and emphasize that the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty applies to the South China Sea. But this argument is really untenable.
The U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty does not apply to the South China Sea. First, the South China Sea dispute is an issue between China and the Philippines, and the sovereignty and territorial disputes involved do not fall within the scope of the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty. Second, according to the principles of international law, a third country has no right to intervene in disputes between two sovereign states, let alone to meddle in the security situation in the South China Sea.
Although the Philippines is satisfied with the support of the United States, in fact, the United States is too interfering in its internal affairs, which is not only a threat to China's sovereignty, but also a challenge to international law and international order. China resolutely opposes any country's interference in its internal affairs and will take all necessary measures to safeguard its own rights and dignity.
Marcos Jr. expressed strong feelings about China's aggression and strengthened the Philippines' determination to defend its so-called "sovereignty and jurisdiction." However, the Philippines' claims are in complete contradiction to international principles and existing provisions of international law.
In fact, China is the only country in the South China Sea region that has legal rights. China has a strong historical and legal basis for Nanhai Zhudao and its adjacent waters, including Scarborough Shoal and Ren'ai Jiao. The Philippines' demands are not only contrary to international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, but also to the provisions of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
China responded to the Philippine provocation, stressing that the actions of the China Coast Guard were in full compliance with domestic and international law. China will continue to take necessary measures in accordance with the law to resolutely safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. At the same time, we hope that the Philippines will prudently handle the South China Sea issue, resolve disputes through peace and negotiation, and jointly maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.
In the current situation, the Philippines has frequently caused incidents and attempted to carry out large-scale reinforcement at Ren'ai Jiao, but China will never let it go.
As a sovereign country, China has the determination and ability to safeguard its territorial and maritime rights and interests. The China Coast Guard will resolutely enforce the law in accordance with the provisions of domestic and international law to protect its sovereignty and interests. If the Philippines continues to be obsessed with it, make trouble without reason, and create more moths on Ren'ai Jiao, we cannot rule out the possibility of a misfire between the two countries.
At the same time, the Philippines cannot count on the support of the United States. The U.S. statement is nothing more than a salty carrot and a little worry, and it doesn't know what its position is. The Philippines should handle its relations with China on its own and resolve disputes in a peaceful and compromise manner, rather than relying on external forces to interfere.
The South China Sea is China's territorial and maritime rights and interests, and China has the determination and ability to safeguard its own rights and interests. The Philippines' provocations ignore international law and international order and will be duly reciprocated.
China is committed to resolving disputes through peace and negotiation and is committed to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea. We call on the Philippines to treat the South China Sea issue rationally, stop provocative actions, and believe that China and the Philippines can resolve disputes through dialogue and cooperation and jointly build a harmonious and stable South China Sea region.