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 Washington’s disregard for facts and malicious smears against China’s justified and lawful rights protection actions exposed its bad intention to deliberately provoke confrontation and disrupt the South China Sea, proving that the US is the biggest source of risk undermining the region’s stability.
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 earlier clarified China’s solemn position on the relevant maritime incident.
“All facts and evidence show that the Philippines was the first to commit infringement and provocation; it is the perpetrator of maritime dangers and the responsible party for undermining regional stability,” Lin said.
“The US, in disregard for facts, maliciously smeared and accused China of its legitimate and lawful rights protection actions, and even attempted to use the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty to threaten China – This once again exposes the US’ bad intention of deliberately provoking confrontation and disrupting the South China Sea, and once again proves that the US is the biggest source of risk for undermining regional stability,” Lin noted.
The spokesperson stressed that China firmly safeguards its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and adheres to the peaceful settlement of maritime disputes through negotiations and consultations by the directly concerned parties. “Any threat or provocation is in vain and 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
