Chen Xi, spokesperson of China’s Ministry of National Defense

A certain Philippine politician cares only about his selfish interests. He is trying to gain political influence by taking an extreme anti-China position, expand his own military power by creating "external threats", and trade for foreign support through stirring up troubles in the South China Sea, Chen Xi, a spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense, said on Friday when asked to comment that recently, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro kept making an issue of the South China Sea and making false remarks about China.

All these moves have directly jeopardized the Philippines' national security and people's well-being, greatly undermined regional peace and stability and shared interests of ASEAN, and had destructive impact on the China-Philippines bilateral ties and defense relations, Chen said.

Facts speak louder than words, and justice will prevail. The Chinese side remains committed to firmly safeguarding national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and building the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation together with regional countries, said Chen.
 
On Friday, Chen was also asked to comment on that the Philippine side recently made provocations near Huangyan Dao and Ren'ai Jiao multiple times and claimed that it would not allow the Chinese side to dictate terms on Philippine "territory." The Philippine military claimed that they observed over a hundred Chinese warships and Coast Guard vessels maintaining regular presence in waters near Zhongye Dao and Xianbin Jiao. 
 
Chen said China has indisputable sovereignty over Huangyan Dao and Nansha Qundao, including Zhongye Dao, Xianbin Jiao and Ren'ai Jiao and their adjacent waters, and has sovereign rights and jurisdiction over relevant waters. These islands and reefs lie outside the scope of Philippine territories. Therefore, the Philippine side is not qualified to claim "safeguarding its own rights and interests." The Chinese side takes necessary measures in accordance with laws and regulations to uphold its sovereign rights. They are legitimate, reasonable, professional and standardized.

For some time, the Philippine side has been rallying external forces to stir up troubles in the South China Sea at the expense of the common interests of regional countries. It continues to make provocations violating others' sovereignty and distort facts to spread false narratives, which makes itself a destroyer of peace and a destabilizing factor in the South China Sea, said Chen. 

Chen stated that the Chinese side will take resolute and effective measures to deter any sabotaging moves in the South China Sea, and uphold regional peace and stability.

Global Times