Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian

In response to a question about Philippine coast guard claiming that a Chinese vessel deliberately rammed a Philippine coast guard ship in the South China Sea, causing structural damage, and the Chinese side said on Sunday that it expelled Philippine vessel that had illegally intruded into adjacent waters of Tiexian Jiao of China's Nansha Qundao in the South China Sea, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Monday that the China Coast Guard has already made a statement and released on-site video footage. "Facts speak louder than words," Lin said. "Right and wrong are clear, and cannot be distorted or reversed." 

Zhongye Dao, Xianbin Jiao, and Zhubi Jiao are all part of China's Nansha Qundao and are Chinese territory. Recently, the Philippines has organized and premeditatedly gathered a large number of vessels to provoke and stir up trouble in waters near China's Nansha Qundao. Among them, Philippine government vessels have repeatedly conducted dangerous maneuvers and intrusions into waters near Zhubi Jiao, resulting in collisions between the vessels of both sides, the spokesperson said. 

The actions of the Philippine side have seriously violated China's sovereignty, rights and interests, gravely endangered the safety of Chinese vessels and personnel, and severely undermined peace and stability at sea, Lin said. The Philippines is the provocateur and responsible party for the maritime incident. China's necessary measures to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests are legitimate, lawful, and beyond reproach, the spokesperson added. 

Lin further stated that fact once again proves that the Philippines' deliberate infringements and provocations at sea are the root cause of rising tensions. China urges the Philippines to immediately stop its infringements, provocations, and sensational hype, and not to challenge China's firm resolve to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, Lin said.

The CCG said on Sunday that it expelled Philippine vessels that had illegally intruded into adjacent waters of Tiexian Jiao of China's Nansha Qundao in the South China Sea, with the Philippine side responsible for a collision between a CCG vessel and a Philippine government vessel. A Chinese expert slammed the Philippine move as a political gesture violating China's territorial sovereignty rather than a simple fishery activity as it claimed.

Without permission from the Chinese government, Philippine government vessels 3002 and 3003 on Sunday illegally intruded into adjacent waters of Tiexian Jiao.