China warns Philippines to stop intruding in its waters

The Philippines should immediately stop infringement and provocations surrounding China's Huangyan Island, and must not challenge China's firm determination to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests, said Chinese officials.

On Tuesday, the Philippines sent more than 10 government ships to illegally intrude into the territorial waters around Huangyan Island in the South China Sea from multiple directions despite repeated dissuasion and warnings from Chinese vessels, according to Gan Yu, spokesman for the China Coast Guard.

The Philippine side willfully carried out the intrusion as during the process, a Philippine vessel with the hull number of 3014 ignored repeated warnings and made dangerous maneuvers and intentionally rammed Chinese ships, endangering the safety of Chinese ships and personnel, he stated.

In response to the illegal intrusion, CCG ships took necessary control measures including verbal warnings, route blocking and the use of water cannons.

The Chinese side's countermeasures were in accordance with the law, and were professional, reasonable and legitimate, Gan said, emphasizing that the full responsibility for the collision rests entirely with the Philippine side.

Huangyan Island is an inherent territory of China. The Philippines' acts have seriously infringed upon China's sovereignty and severely violated relevant provisions of Chinese law and international law, according to the spokesman.

"We sternly warn the Philippines to immediately stop its infringing acts. The CCG will continue to conduct rights protection and law enforcement activities in waters around Huangyan Island in accordance with the law, and firmly safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests," Gan said.

Lin Jian, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday afternoon that the Philippine intrusion has not only seriously infringed upon China's sovereignty and interests but also severely undermined maritime peace and stability.

It is reasonable and lawful for China to use necessary measures to safeguard its own territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, he said, adding that facts have once again proved that the Philippines' deliberate infringement and provocation are the root cause of the tense situation.

A naval affairs observer who wished to be identified only as Cui said that the fact that Chinese vessels successfully thwarted the Philippine side's orchestrated endeavor of sending ships to intrude into waters surrounding Huangyan Island from multiple directions shows that China now knows well all the possible methods of infringement and provocation the Philippines may use and is ready to effectively handle them.

"The Philippines should drop its wishful thinking that some external forces could 'save' it from trouble or support it to challenge China. We will let it know that all of its efforts to compromise our rights and interests will collide with an iron wall," he said.