BEIJING (Xinhua) — China urges the Philippines to honor its commitments and stop creating troubles, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Thursday.
Guo made the remarks at a regular press briefing when asked to comment on a recent Philippine statement asserting that no permission was sought from, nor granted by, China for the conduct of its resupply mission to Ren’ai Jiao on March 4 and that it does not recognize Beijing’s authority over Ren’ai Jiao.
Guo underscored that China has sovereignty over the Nansha Qundao, including Ren’ai Jiao, and their adjacent waters, noting that China’s position on how to handle the current situation at Ren’ai Jiao is clear and consistent.
He elaborated that first, the Philippines’ act of grounding a warship at Ren’ai Jiao for an extended period infringes on China’s sovereignty and violates the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC). China demands that the Philippines tow away the vessel.
Second, before the Philippines removes the vessel, China is willing to allow the Philippines to transport supplies for living necessities out of humanitarian considerations, provided that the Philippines notifies China in advance and the shipments are verified on-site, said Guo.
Third, China will never accept the Philippines transporting large quantities of construction materials to the vessel in an attempt to build permanent facilities or outposts, and will resolutely stop such actions in accordance with laws and regulations, Guo stressed.
“On the basis of the above principled position, last July, China reached a provisional arrangement with the Philippines on humanitarian resupply of living necessities,” said the spokesperson.
He added that since then, based on the provisional arrangement, the Philippine side has conducted seven resupply missions of living necessities. The entire process was monitored by China Coast Guard. China had been informed of the resupply before it was carried out, and confirmed on-the-scene that the Philippine vessel carried only humanitarian living necessities.
“The Chinese side will continue to firmly defend China’s sovereignty and rights and interests. We urge the Philippines not to take for granted China’s active effort to get the situation at sea under control, honor its commitments, and stop flip-flopping on them and creating troubles,” said Guo.
