China urges Philippines to stop its infringement, provocations at sea

China on Monday urged the Philippines to immediately cease its infringement, provocations and vilification, stop its endless self-directed stunts at sea, and refrain from challenging China's firm resolve to safeguard its sovereignty and rights and interests.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun made the remarks at a regular press briefing in response to a question on the recent provocations by multiple groups of Philippine vessels in the waters around China's Xianbin Jiao.

Xianbin Jiao is part of China's Nansha Qundao, over which China has indisputable sovereignty, including their adjacent waters, Guo noted.

On December 12, the Philippines organized and orchestrated moves to send a large number of ships to provoke and create trouble in the waters off Xianbin Jiao, with some intruding into the lagoon of Xianbin Jiao, he said. Despite repeated dissuasion and warning from the Chinese side, the Philippines' so-called fishing ships deliberately anchored inside the lagoon and repeatedly conducted dangerous maneuvers, including sudden course deviations, he added. 

Guo further noted the Philippine personnel even threatened China Coast Guard officers with knives during lawful rights-defending operations.

"The Philippines' moves seriously infringe upon China's sovereignty and rights and interests, violate international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), and sabotage maritime peace and stability," Guo said.

He emphasized that China's necessary measures to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests are legitimate, lawful, professional, restrained and beyond reproach. 

Responding to the U.S. State Department's statement that it will stand with the Philippines to confront "China's provocative actions and increasingly dangerous tactics against its neighbors," Guo said the U.S. is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to interfere in the maritime issues between the concerned parties.

"The U.S. needs to stop making fact-distorting and provocative remarks, and stop abetting and supporting the Philippines' attempt of creating troubles in the South China Sea," he added.