Philippines says its vessel did not illegally enter any space under Chinese sovereignty

On Tuesday, the Philippines’ National Security Adviser stated that Manila’s warship did not approach any territory under Chinese control and urged China to cease “its aggressive action in Philippine waters.” The words follow the Chinese military’s unusual warning on Monday that a Philippine naval ship “illegally entered” seas near the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea without authorization. National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano accused China of “over hyping” the incident and “creating unnecessary tensions between our two nations.” “We urge China to act responsibly, respect UNCLOS, adhere to the 2016 Arbitral Ruling, promote the rules-based international order, and stop its aggressive and illegal actions in Philippine waters,” Ano said in a statement. Ano was referring to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 verdict by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that found Beijing’s claim to practically the entire South China Sea to be invalid. China and the Philippines have had multiple clashes in the South China Sea, most notably after a collision between a Chinese coastguard vessel and a Philippine boat.