China Warns Philippines Over Continued ‘Provocations’ In The Disputed South China Sea

On Monday, China sent out a warning to the Philippines not to engage in further “provocations” at an atoll based in the South China Sea, adding that similar actions have earlier breached China’s territorial sovereignty, broken international law, and also disturbed regional stability and peace.

The atoll has not been the Philippines’ territory’s part, which is specified by several international treaties, China’s foreign ministry asserted via its forceful statement, referring to the atoll as the Renai Reef.

China Warns Philippines — Representation Image

The China Coast Guard has sent warships frequently to impede resupply attempts since the Philippines has been extending its supplies to troops that are stationed on a WWII-era cargo vessel turned military outpost. The latter is currently on the Second Thomas Shoal.

China points to a line on the maps that steps into the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, and Indonesia to assert its authority over the entire South China Sea. On the other hand, Beijing disagrees with the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration finding that the line that’s depicted on China’s maps lacks any kind of legal support.

The atoll, which is located about 190 kms off the Philippine island of Palawan, is popular in China as the Renai Reef and Ayungin in the Philippines.

The Philippines lacks a legal basis to claim its sovereignty on the Renai Reef on the pretext of its relative proximity to the Philippine territory, China’s foreign ministry mentioned in a statement.

Since Manila’s attempt to press the claim to the atoll back in 1999, when it grounded the BRP Sierra Madre, China has been repeatedly requesting that the Philippines shift the vessel away.

The Philippines has kept promising to do so as soon as possible, the Chinese ministry informed.

However, 24 years have passed, and the Philippine war vessel continues to be there. China can’t accept the acts of the Philippines of going back on words over and again and violating Chinese territorial sovereignty.

China had declared that it would take the measures necessary to defend the country’s territorial sovereignty as well as its maritime rights and interests.

References: FirstPost, Reuters

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