China's Warning To The Philippines: Stop Making Misleading Provocations To The World

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning at a press conference in Beijing, China on Monday (24/6). (ANTARA/Desca Lidya Natalia)

JAKARTA - China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has again asked the Philippines to stop making provocations after the last incident in the South China Sea followed by a statement by President Ferdinand Marcos who said his country would not be intimidated by anyone.

"Our message to the Philippines is very clear, stop violating China's rights, stop provoking and stop misleading the world," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said at a press conference in Beijing.

On Monday (17/6), there was an incident between the Philippine Navy and the Chinese Coast Guard around a coral island called China under the name "Ren'ai Jiao", while by the Philippines as "Beting Ayungin" as part of the Spratly Islands in the disputed South China Sea of the two countries, as well as several other Southeast Asian countries.

A Filipino sailors lost their thumb in the clashes. Manila also accused Chinese coast guards of using knives, sticks and axes and stealing or destroying equipment on their ships, including weapons and rubber boats.

Following the clashes, on Sunday (23/6), President Ferdinand Marcos at the headquarters of Philippine troops in Puerto Princesa, Palawan Island, the land area closest to the shallow waters said "we will never be intimidated or oppressed by anyone".

"We have repeatedly conveyed what really happened and what our position is. If the Philippines really wants to act in accordance with international law, the Philippines must first comply with the agreement defining its territory, including the 1898 Peace Treaty between the United States and the Kingdom of Spain, and comply with the Declaration of Conduct (DOC)," added Mao Ning.

While on Palawan Island, Marcos also said that the Philippines would not start an open conflict or give up on foreign pressures and would not use violence or intimidation in disputed waters.

Marcos also gave medals to 80 sailors who participated in supply missions, prompting them to "continue to carry out their duties to defend the country" even though he acknowledged the situation was getting "dangerous".

Furthermore, Mao Ning emphasized that Ren'ai Jiao was part of China's Nansha Qundao.

"Ren'ai Jiao is Chinese territory. The Philippines must stop provoking and violating China's sovereignty, return to the right path in resolving maritime differences well through negotiations and consultation as soon as possible and working with China to uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea," said Mao Ning.

Ren'ai Jiao is located about 200 kilometers from Pualu Palawan and more than 1,000 kilometers from China's closest main land, Hainan Island.

The Chinese government claims to have sovereign and jurisdictional rights over islands called "Nanhai Zhudao" in the South China Sea, consisting of Dongsha Qundao, Xisha Qundao, Zhongsha Qundao and Nansha Qundao or better known as Pratas Islands, Paracel Islands, Spratly Islands and Macclesfield Bank areas.

Since 1999, the Philippines has placed the BRP Sierra Madre warship as a "floating headquarters" for Philippine coast guard on the Ren'ai Jiao reef and sent people to fill the supplies at the floating headquarters.

The South China Sea is still a hotspot in the region because China claims almost all the waters in the South China Sea. ASEAN member countries namely Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines also claim the region.

Most recently, the Chinese government imposed new rules for their operations in the South China Sea. Based on these new guidelines, China could detain suspected violators for up to 60 days.

The law, which has been issued since 2021, regulates permits for Chinese coast guards to fire on foreign ships, destroying buildings of other countries established on coral reefs that are claimed to belong to China and the right to inspect foreign vessels in waters called Chinese ownership.