Beijing, March 24, 2024 — China has lodged a formal protest with the Philippines over recent supply missions to Ren’ai Jiao, a reef in the South China Sea that China claims as part of its territory. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong spoke by phone on Monday with Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, expressing strong opposition to what China considers illegal actions by the Philippines.
According to Chen, on March 23, the Philippines dispatched two coast guard ships and a supply ship to waters near Ren’ai Jiao, attempting to transport construction materials to a military vessel that China says is illegally grounded on the reef. “This action seriously violates China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, undermining regional peace and stability,” Chen stated.
China maintains that it holds indisputable sovereignty over Nansha Qundao, including Ren’ai Jiao, and the surrounding waters. Chen emphasized that the Philippines has repeatedly made “provocations” at Ren’ai Jiao, which he described as the root cause of escalating tensions in the area. He urged the Philippines to “abide by its commitments, stop infringements and provocations at sea, and cease any unilateral moves that may complicate the situation.”
Chen called for the Philippines to return to “the right track of properly settling differences through negotiation and consultation” with China. He added that China will continue to take necessary measures, in accordance with domestic and international laws, to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
The Vice Foreign Minister also expressed China’s concerns over the Philippines’ advancement of the “Maritime Zones Act.” Chen said that the act, approved by the Philippine Senate, attempts to enforce an “illegal arbitral award” on the South China Sea through domestic legislation. He asserted that the act includes China’s Huangyan Dao, most islands and reefs of China’s Nansha Qundao, and their adjacent waters into Philippine maritime zones, which “severely violates China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests” and could “endanger bilateral relations.”
“China urges the Philippines to immediately stop the legislative process that undermines China’s sovereignty and stop maritime infringements and provocations,” Chen stated.
Ren’ai Jiao, known internationally as Second Thomas Shoal, has been a point of contention between China and the Philippines. The area is part of the broader territorial disputes in the South China Sea, involving multiple nations with overlapping claims.
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China lodges representations to Philippines over supplying Ren'ai Jiao
cgtn.com
