Nation to uphold maritime rights as US, Philippine vessels enter territorial waters

China will not back down, but will instead more resolutely safeguard its national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, authorities and experts said, after the Philippines and the United States separately dispatched warships, warplanes and official vessels to intrude into the territorial waters and airspace of China’s Huangyan Island within just two days.

Chinese naval forces expelled a US destroyer that illegally intruded on Wednesday into China’s territorial waters near Huangyan Island in the South China Sea, according to a spokesperson for the People’s Liberation Army. Senior Captain He Tiecheng, a spokesperson for the naval forces of the PLA’s Southern Theater Command, said in a statement that the US destroyer USS Higgins illegally entered China’s territorial waters off Huangyan Island without the approval of the Chinese government. The statement was released by the PLA Navy’s South Sea Fleet.

The spokesperson said the theater command’s naval forces organized to track, monitor, issue warnings and expel the US warship in accordance with laws and regulations.

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“The actions of the US military seriously infringed upon China’s sovereignty and security, severely undermined peace and stability in the South China Sea, and contravened international law and basic norms governing international relations,” He said.

The naval forces of the Southern Theater Command maintain high alert at all times to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and security as well as regional peace and stability, He added.

On Monday, the China Coast Guard expelled multiple Philippine Coast Guard vessels, government ships and so-called fishing boats from the territorial waters around Huangyan Island.

Meanwhile, Philippine military aircraft also intruded into the airspace over Huangyan Island.

Gan Yu, spokesman for the China Coast Guard, noted that the CCG took necessary measures in accordance with the law, including monitoring and blocking, to expel the Philippine vessels.

Gan emphasized that China’s on-site operations were “professional, standardized and legitimate”, adding that the Philippine vessels had used the pretext of supplying fishing boats, ignoring China’s repeated dissuasion and warnings and insisting on intrusion.

Huangyan Island is China’s inherent territory,” he said. “The CCG will continue to conduct rights protection and law enforcement activities in the waters of Huangyan Island lawfully to firmly safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.”

Zhang Junshe, a former researcher at the PLA Naval Research Academy, said that the Philippines’ deployment of various vessels and warplanes for intrusion indicated a “premeditated provocation”.

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“The Philippines aims to continuously intrude into the airspace and waters here in various ways to achieve a de facto long-term presence, thereby attempting to assert its so-called sovereignty, which will surely be met with China’s strong countermeasures,” he said.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian condemned the actions of the Philippines on Tuesday, saying that they seriously infringed on China’s sovereignty and rights and interests, seriously harmed maritime peace and stability, and were of a malign nature.

Lin emphasized that the facts have proved once again that the Philippines’ deliberate infringements and provocations at sea are the root causes of the tense situation.

He urged the Philippines to immediately cease its infringements and provocations and to refrain from “challenging China’s firm resolve to safeguard our lawful rights and interests”.

Zhang, the researcher, said that Lin’s response sent a clear warning: China will not back down but will instead take more decisive and tougher measures to safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

“China’s resolve will not be intimidated by the provocations of the Philippines and other external forces,” he said, criticizing the US for its interference in the region.

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“The US essentially uses the Philippines as a pawn to leverage the South China Sea issue to contain China, which is its consistent practice,” Zhang said, adding that the US also aimed to embolden the Philippines’ infringements and provocations.

Liu Lin, a professor of international strategy at the Party School of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted that while conducting infringements, the Philippines also meticulously prepared video materials for propaganda to shape a hyped narrative.

“The Philippines is clearly the provocateur, yet it has carefully planned and prepared various video materials each time, attempting to portray itself as a victim in the international arena to garner sympathy,” she said.

Contact the writer at jiangchenglong@chinadaily.com.cn