Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian

Responding to claim of the US accusing China for "using water cannons against Philippine ships in the South China Sea," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday that turning a blind eye to the facts, the US vilified and accused China over the legitimate and lawful measures China took to defend its sovereignty. Such move serves as yet another evidence that the US is the biggest source of risks undermining regional stability, Lin said.

The US State Department claimed in a statement on Monday that it condemns China's October 12 "ramming and water cannoning" of a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel in the South China Sea. 

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott reportedly also reaffirmed that Article IV of the 1951 US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty "extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft — including those of its Coast Guard — anywhere in the South China Sea."  

Commenting on the US statement, Lin said at Wednesday's press briefing that the ministry has made clear China's solemn position on relevant incident at sea.

"All facts and evidence show that it was the Philippines who took infringement and provocative activities first. The Philippines is the provocateur responsible for triggering dangerous situation at sea and sabotaging regional stability," Lin said. 

"Turning a blind eye to the facts, the US vilified and accused China over the legitimate and lawful measures China took to defend its sovereignty, and attempted to threaten China citing the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty. Such moves once again exposed the US' ill intention of deliberately stoking confrontation and destabilizing the South China Sea, and serve as yet another evidence that the US is the biggest source of risks undermining regional stability," Lin noted.

"Let me stress that China stands firm in defending its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. We maintain that maritime disputes should be peacefully resolved through negotiation and consultation between states directly concerned. Any threat or provocation is nothing but meaningless attempt that will never succeed," Lin said. 

On Monday, Lin has elaborated on the incident, saying that recently, the Philippines has taken organized and orchestrated moves to send a large number of ships to make provocations and create trouble in relevant waters of China's Nansha Qundao. Philippine official vessels sailed dangerously more than once and some of them intruded into the waters off Zhubi Jiao, which resulted in the collision between the vessels of the two sides. 

"What happened shows once again that the Philippines' deliberate infringement and provocations are the root cause behind the tensions," Lin urged the Philippines to immediately stop its infringement, provocations and vilification, and refrain from challenging China's firm resolve to safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.


Global Times