On December 12, Canada issued a statement disregarding the facts, reversing black and white, and vainly criticizing China's legitimate law enforcement actions at Ren'ai Jiao and Scarborough Shoal, which China strongly displores and resolutely opposes.
Scarborough Shoal is China's inherent territory, Ren'ai Jiao is part of China's Nansha Islands, and China has indisputable sovereignty over Huangyan Dao and its adjacent waters, as well as over Nansha Islands, including Ren'ai Jiao, and its adjacent waters. The Philippine vessels intruded into the waters adjacent to Scarborough Shoal and Ren'ai Jiao without China's permission, and the Chinese Coast Guard took necessary measures in accordance with the law. The Philippines violated its commitments and committed acts of aggression and provocation first, and it was the Philippines, not China, that undermined regional peace and stability.
There is no problem with freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, and China has always respected and supported the freedom of navigation and overflight enjoyed by all countries in the South China Sea in accordance with international law. The arbitral tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration case violated the principle of "state consent" by exceeding its authority and arbitrarily adjudicating the award, which seriously violated the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and general international law, and the award rendered by the arbitral tribunal in the South China Sea case was illegal and invalid. China does not accept or recognize the illegal award, nor does it accept any claims or actions based on the illegal award.
The South China Sea is the common home of countries in the region and should not become a hunting ground for Canada, the United States and other countries to pursue their geopolitical interests. As a country outside the region, Canada has emboldened the Philippines' violation of China's sovereignty, violated the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and jeopardized regional peace and stability, which China strongly condemns. China will continue to take necessary measures in accordance with domestic and international law to resolutely respond to any infringement and provocation and firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. We urge the Canadian side to respect China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, and stop creating incidents, inciting confrontation and undermining regional peace and stability in the South China Sea.
*: Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Canada.