China urges Philippines to stop stirring up trouble and making provocations at sea: spokesperson

BEIJING, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson urged on Sunday the Philippines to stop stirring up trouble and making provocations at sea, and stop making dangerous moves.

The spokesperson made the remarks when asked to comment on the latest incident in the South China Sea.

On Sunday, the Philippines delivered supplies to the illegally "grounded" warship at Ren'ai Jiao. The China Coast Guard(CCG), in accordance with law, blocked the Philippine vessels that illegally delivered construction materials.

The Chinese spokesperson said that two civil vessels and two coast guard vessels of the Philippines intruded the waters of Ren'ai Jiao in China's Nansha Qundao on October 22 without China's permission.

In disregard of the warnings of the CCG vessels, the Philippine vessels went headlong towards Ren'ai Jiao's lagoon and bumped dangerously with the CCG ships conducting law enforcement on the scene and the Chinese fishing vessels having normal fishing activities there, according to the spokesperson.

The CCG took necessary law enforcement measures to the Philippine vessels in accordance with domestic and international law to uphold China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. The action it took on the scene was professional and restrained, said the spokesperson.

The spokesperson stressed that Ren'ai Jiao is part of China's Nansha Qundao and China's territory. The Philippines illegally "grounded" its warship at Ren'ai Jiao, which seriously violates China's territorial sovereignty.

Noting that the Philippines explicitly promised several times to tow away the military vessel deliberately and illegally "grounded" at Ren'ai Jiao, the spokesperson said that 24 years have passed and instead of towing it away, the Philippines has sought to repair and reinforce it on a large scale in order to permanently occupy Ren'ai Jiao.

China has shown extraordinary restraint and patience concerning Ren'ai Jiao. For quite some time, China has had frequent communication with the Philippines at various levels and through various channels, making it clear to the Philippines that it must not send construction materials meant for repairing and reinforcing the "grounded" warship on a large scale, the spokesperson said.

The Philippines, however, chose to ignore China's goodwill and sincerity and has reneged on its own promise, kept sending vessels into the waters of Ren'ai Jiao, spreading disinformation and playing up the issue, said the spokesperson.

The Philippines' behavior seriously violated China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, breached international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and undermined regional peace and stability, said the spokesperson, adding that "We deplore and firmly oppose that."

China once again urge the Philippines to take seriously China's grave concerns, honor its promise, stop stirring up trouble and making provocations at sea, stop making dangerous moves, stop groundlessly attacking and slandering China and tow away the illegally "grounded" warship as soon as possible so that the peace and stability of the South China Sea will not be jeopardized and the common interests of countries in the region will not be affected, said the spokesperson.

"China will continue to take necessary measures in accordance with domestic and international law to firmly safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests," said the spokesperson.