China News Service, March 25. According to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on March 25, 2024, Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong had a phone call with Philippine Deputy Foreign Minister Lazaro to discuss the Philippines' illegal "beaching" of warships on Ren'ai Reef. raised stern representations on other issues.
Chen Xiaodong pointed out that on March 23, a civilian ship and two coast guard ships from the Philippines broke into the waters near Ren'ai Reef in China's Nansha Islands without permission from the Chinese government, attempting to transport including supplies, including building materials, to establish permanent military outposts and achieve long-term illegal occupation. This seriously violates the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, seriously violates the Philippines' own commitments, seriously infringes upon China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and undermines regional peace and stability. China is firmly opposed to this. China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands, including Second Thomas Shoal, and its adjacent waters. The Philippines has repeatedly gone back on its word and provoked troubles on the Ren'ai Reef issue, which is the fundamental reason for the repeated escalation of the situation on the ground. China once again urges the Philippines to abide by its commitments and consensus, stop infringements and provocations at sea, stop any unilateral actions that may complicate the situation, and effectively return to the right track of dialogue and negotiation with China to properly resolve differences. China will continue to take necessary measures in accordance with domestic and international laws to firmly safeguard its national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
Chen Xiaodong also expressed China's solemn position on the Philippines' advancement of legislation on the "Marine Areas Act" and its infringement and provocations on Scarborough Shoal and Iron Line Reef. Chen Xiaodong pointed out that the Philippines tried to invoke the illegal award of the South China Sea Arbitration Case to legislate most of the islands and reefs of China's Scarborough Shoal and Nansha Islands and related waters into the Philippine maritime area. This will inevitably seriously infringe China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, intensify and expand maritime disputes between the two countries, and endanger the peace and stability of the South China Sea and the overall bilateral relations. China has indisputable sovereignty over Scarborough Shoal and the Nansha Islands, including Iron Line Reef, and their adjacent waters. The Philippines ignored China's repeated dissuasion and frequently sent military police, official ships and aircraft to invade the sea and airspace adjacent to Scarborough Shoal, and repeatedly illegally landed on Iron Line Reef, infringing on China's territorial sovereignty and violating the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. China once again strongly urges the Philippines to immediately stop the legislative process that undermines China's sovereignty and immediately stop maritime infringement and provocations.
Chen Xiaodong emphasized that currently, China-Philippines relations are at a crossroads, and the Philippines must proceed with caution as to where to go. China once again requires the Philippines to take China's concerns seriously, step back from the brink, return to the right track of properly resolving differences through negotiation and consultation with China as soon as possible, and work with China to safeguard the overall interests of bilateral relations and peace and stability in the South China Sea.