The Philippines should "return to the right track of settling disputes through dialog and consultation" rather than stirring up trouble in the South China Sea, a spokesman from the Chinese defense ministry said on Friday.
At a press conference in Beijing, spokesman Zhang Xiaogang responded to recent statements by the Philippine Navy.
"The Philippine side has frequently conducted military exercises in the South China Sea in collusion with external countries, which only stir up trouble, provoke confrontation, undermine peace and stability in the South China Sea and harm the interests and well-being of the people in the region, " said Zhang.
"The Philippine government also seeks to solidify the illegal award of the so-called South China Sea arbitration through domestic legislation, attempting to unlawfully incorporate China's Huangyan Dao, most islands and reefs of China's Nansha Qundao and their adjacent waters into its maritime zones. This constitutes a serious violation of China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea while severely damaging the navigation and shipping rights of other countries," the spokesman said, voicing China's firm opposition to it.
The Philippine government enacted last Friday the so-called "Maritime Zones Act" and the "Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act," which China said "gravely infringes upon China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea".
Zhang stressed that the Asia-Pacific region welcomes those who pursuits peaceful development, not those who creates trouble and conflict.
"We urge the Philippine side to immediately stop spreading false narratives and cease any unilateral actions that could escalate disputes or complicate the situation. They should return to the right track of settling disputes through dialogue and consultation. The Chinese military will resolutely defend its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, take strong countermeasures against any infringement and provocation, and steadfastly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea," he said.
China calls on Philippines to return to settling disputes through dialog and consultation
