The Chinese Foreign Ministry declared on Monday night that China is not in the process of harassing the Philippines, despite ongoing hostility and incursions into the West Philippine Sea.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning blamed the Philippines alone for all maritime developments in the South China Sea during a press briefing.
“China’s position on the issue of the South China Sea is consistent and clear. The reason behind the recent maritime developments is that the Philippines has frequently made provocative moves in the South China Sea, infringing on China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” Mao said.
She said, “China has taken necessary measures in accordance with the law to defend its own sovereignty, rights, and interests. There is no such situation of China harassing the Philippines.”
Mao’s remarks came after Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo sent China a direct message: “Stop harassing us.”
At an ASEAN-Australia meeting in Melbourne, Manalo said, “But our simple explanation is if you would stop harassing us and, and perhaps performing other actions, there wouldn’t be any news to report.” “The Philippines is committed to a peaceful resolution of disputes through diplomatic means, or peaceful means,” he stated.
Chinese maritime assets continue to declare aggression in the South China Sea, even after an arbitral tribunal rejected China’s claim over the majority of the region, including the West Philippines Sea, in 2016. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands, heard a challenge by the Philippines against China’s claims in 2013, and the Philippines won the case handily.
