China warns Philippines over 'provocations' in South China Sea

On Monday, China issued a warning to the Philippines not to engage in any more “provocations” at an atoll in the South China Sea, claiming that such actions have breached Chinese territorial sovereignty, broken international law, and disturbed regional peace and stability. The atoll has never been a part of the territory of the Philippines, which is specified by a number of international treaties, the Chinese foreign ministry asserted in a forceful statement, referring to the atoll as Renai Reef. The China Coast Guard has frequently sent warships to impede the resupply attempts because the Philippines has been providing supplies to its troops stationed on a World War Two-era cargo ship turned military outpost on the Second Thomas Shoal. China points to a line on its maps that enters the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia in order to assert its authority over practically the whole South China Sea. Beijing disagrees with the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s 2016 finding that the line depicted on Chinese maps lacks legal support. The atoll, which is located 190 kilometres (118 miles) off the Philippine island of Palawan, is known as Ayungin in the Philippines and Renai Reef in China. “The Philippines has no legal basis at all to claim sovereignty over Renai Reef on the grounds of its comparative proximity to Philippine territory,” the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement. Since Manila’s attempt to press its claim to the atoll in 1999, when it grounded the BRP Sierra Madre there, China has repeatedly requested that the Philippines move the ship away. “The Philippines repeatedly promised to do so as soon as possible,” the Chinese ministry said. “However, 24 years have passed, and the Philippine warship is still there. China cannot accept the Philippines’ acts of going back on its words again and again and violating China’s territorial sovereignty,” it said. The ministry stated that the Philippines must avoid “making provocations” and “creating trouble” at sea. China declared that it would keep taking the steps necessary to strongly defend its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. (With agency inputs)