On December 29, ** spokesperson Mao Ning presided over a regular press conference.
At the meeting, a reporter asked that the spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines Aguilar said a few days ago that the Philippines is considering building a permanent civilian structure on Ren'ai Jiao, such as a lighthouse or a marine scientific research center. A also said that Ren'ai Jiao belongs to the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, and only the Philippines can build buildings there, and in the future, the Philippines will no longer transport military supplies, but civilian supplies. What is China's response to this?
Mao Ning said that Ren'ai Jiao is part of China's Nansha Islands, and China's indisputable sovereignty over Nansha Islands, including Ren'ai Jiao, and its adjacent waters has been formed and established in a long historical process and is in line with international law, including the UN Charter. The Philippines relied on the so-called award in the illegal and invalid South China Sea arbitration case to assert that Ren'ai Jiao belongs to the Philippines' exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, and that it is untenable in law to deny China's territorial sovereignty over Ren'ai Jiao, which violates the principles of international law and is legally untenable.
Mao Ning stressed that Ren'ai Jiao is an uninhabited island. According to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea signed by China and ASEAN countries, all parties should maintain the status of Ren'ai Jiao being deserted and free of facilities.
The Philippine side has repeatedly violated its commitments, changed its policies, and repeatedly violated its rights and provoked on the Ren'ai Jiao issue, triggering a complicated situation. Recently, a Philippine military spokesman openly claimed that it would build a permanent structure on Ren'ai Jiao, which is a major move by the Philippine side to once again break its promises, change its policy again, and once again undermine the uninhabited and unequipped state of Ren'ai Jiao. This would be a serious violation of China's sovereignty and a serious violation of international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. China will resolutely respond to any infringement and provocation and firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.