A Philippine vessel approaches a China Coast Guard vessel in a dangerous manner and leads to a bump in waters off China's Ren'ai Reef in the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea on October 22, 2023. Photo: Screenshot from a video released by China Coast Guard

The Philippines' blatant claim of building a permanent structure on the Ren'ai Jiao (Ren'ai Reef) in the South China Sea is a major move that once again serves as an attempt at breaking a promise, a change in policy, and the destruction of the uninhabited status of Ren'ai Jiao, the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated on Friday.

The move seriously infringes on China's sovereignty and violates international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a routine press conference, adding that China will resolutely respond to any infringement and provocation and firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

China's response came after Spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Colonel Medel Aguilar said on Tuesday that the Philippine government is considering building a shelter for fisherfolk - a permanent structure - on the Ren'ai Jiao.

The Philippines' former Supreme Court senior associate justice Antonio Carpio said earlier that the Philippines should build the structure. He said that they "will put up a civilian structure" there, such as a lighthouse or marine scientific research center. He also claimed that the Ren'ai Jiao is part of the Philippines' exclusive economic zone and the Philippines is "exclusively the only ones who can put up a structure there."

"Instead of sending military supplies, we will be sending civilian supplies later. We will convert the activity from military to civilian," Carpio said.

Mao refuted these claims, saying that the Ren'ai Jiao is part of China's Nansha Islands and China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands, including the Ren'ai Jiao, and its adjacent waters.

This has been in compliance with the international law, including the United Nations Charter. Based on the so-called award of the illegal and invalid arbitration, the Philippines claims that the Ren'ai Jiao belongs to the Philippines' "exclusive economic zone" and continental shelf and denies China's territorial sovereignty over it, which violates the principles of international law and is legally untenable.

The Ren'ai Jiao has no personnel or facility on it. According to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea signed by China and ASEAN members, all parties should maintain the status of the Ren'ai Jiao without people or facilities, said Mao, adding that the Philippines' provocations have complicated the situation.