Manila urged to honor its commitments

Beijing ready to handle Ren'ai Reef issue, maritime concerns through talks

China lambasted on Tuesday the Philippines' move to reinforce an "illegally grounded" warship in the Ren'ai Reef, and expressed Beijing's willingness to handle maritime issues with Manila through dialogue and consultation.

The Foreign Ministry urged the Philippines to tow away the military vessel and restore the Ren'ai Reef in China's Nansha Islands to its "original state of having no personnel or facility on it".

On Saturday, China Coast Guard vessels lawfully intercepted two Philippine vessels, which illegally entered the adjacent waters of the Ren'ai Reef and tried to deliver construction materials for repairing and reinforcing the warship.

On Monday, the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines alleged that the China Coast Guard's actions violated international law and infringed upon the Philippines' sovereign rights and jurisdiction.

In an online statement on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the Philippines' attempts to permanently occupy the Ren'ai Reef gravely violate international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea signed between China and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The spokesperson also rejected the so-called South China Sea arbitration award, saying that the award is "illegal, null and void" as it violates international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

"China does not accept or recognize it, and will never accept any claim or action based on the award. This position is clear and firm, and is a legitimate step to uphold the international rule of law," the spokesperson added.

For some time, China has repeatedly communicated with the Philippines through diplomatic channels on the Ren'ai Reef.

When meeting with Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Theresa Lazaro on Monday, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian said he hopes Manila will work in the same direction with Beijing and stop unilateral actions to avoid the escalation or loss of control of the situation.

Hyping up the issue or soliciting support from a third party will not solve problems, but will further complicate the situation, Huang said.

He pointed out that China and the Philippines are maritime neighbors, and the two heads of state reached an important consensus earlier this year on properly handling maritime differences through dialogue and consultation.

China has repeatedly urged the Philippines to hold talks to figure out ways to manage the situation in the Ren'ai Reef, which fully demonstrates China's sincerity, Huang said.

China is waiting for feedback from the Philippines and hopes that both sides can start negotiations soon, in order to jointly uphold peace and tranquility in the waters, he added.

Wu Qian, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, said on Tuesday that China has urged the Philippines to abide by its commitments regarding the Ren'ai Reef and immediately cease all provocative actions.

His remarks came after the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the United States Department of Defense condemned China for intercepting Philippine vessels, which were transporting personnel and supplies to the illegally grounded warship.

"China has sovereignty over the Nansha Islands, including the Ren'ai Reef, based on sufficient historical and legal grounds," Wu said, emphasizing that in recent times, the Philippines has violated its commitments and attempted to transport construction materials to repair and reinforce the grounded vessel.

The spokesman said that China will continue to take necessary measures to firmly uphold its national sovereignty, and urged the Philippines to tow away the warship. Wu said that China exercised legitimate maritime law enforcement actions to protect its maritime rights, and firmly opposes the US' baseless allegations.

"The US is not a party directly involved in the South China Sea issue, and has no right to meddle in it," he said.

The Chinese side demands that the US immediately stops creating trouble and sowing discord regarding the issue, and respects China's sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the region, he said.

China urges the US to respect the positive efforts made by regional countries to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea, Wu said. "The Chinese military will resolutely fulfill its duties and missions to firmly uphold national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests."

Tian Shichen, founder and president of the Global Governance Institution, a think tank in Beijing, said that China's restrained actions have prevented the situation from escalating into a major crisis, which is Beijing's contribution to regional peace and stability.

He blasted the US for emboldening the Philippines and blaming China on the issue. With the intentions to maintain hegemony and create a "security trap", the US continues to hype up the longstanding disputes between China and countries having disputes with China, he said.

Tian said it is neither reasonable nor legitimate for the Philippines to solicit support from the US to force China to make a concession, and to take advantage or seek undue interests on the South China Sea issue.

No country should underestimate China's resolve and determination to defend its territorial integrity, he added.

Jiang Chenglong contributed to this story.