An illustration of the trail of the Philippine Corvette 35. Photo: Screenshot from the official WeChat account of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has recently prevented a Philippine corvette from intruding into Chinese territorial waters around Huangyan Dao, and the Chinese Ministry of National Defense and Foreign Ministry slammed the Philippine side’s infringing provocations on Thursday. An expert said that frequent maritime provocations and media manipulation are habitual tactics employed by the Philippines, warning that such disregarding of facts negatively impacts regional peace.
Senior Colonel Tian Junli, spokesperson of the PLA Southern Theater Command, said on Thursday that on Monday, the Philippine Corvette 35 attempted to intrude into the territorial waters of China’s Huangyan Dao. The PLA Southern Theater Command organized naval and air forces to lawfully track, monitor, issue warnings, and expel the vessel, effectively preventing the Philippine vessel from intruding into China’s territorial waters.
The on-site operations were professional, standardized, justified, and lawful, Tian said.
A trail illustration released by the PLA Southern Theater Command showed that the closest distance between the Philippine corvette and the territorial sea baseline of China’s Huangyan Dao was 12.4 nautical miles, at 5:31 pm on Monday.
A Philippine Navy patrol near the Huangyan Dao encountered “aggressive and unsafe” movements by two Chinese Navy vessels earlier this week, the Philippine milit claimed, reported.
Related remarks by the Philippine side disregard the facts, confuse right and wrong, and attempt to mislead the international community. Huangyan Dao is China’s inherent territory. We sternly warn the Philippines to immediately cease its infringements, provocations, and distortion of the truth. The troops of the Southern Theater Command remain on high alert at all times, resolutely defending national sovereignty, security, and maritime rights and interests, and firmly safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea, the PLA Southern Theater Command spokesperson said.
Zhang Junshe, a Chinese milit affairs expert, told the Global Times on Thursday that the illustration released by the PLA Southern Theater Command showed the process of how the PLA Navy tracked, monitored, and decisively expelled the Philippine vessel, demonstrating the PLA’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding China’s sovereignty.
The vessel tracks also indicated that the naval and air forces of the PLA Southern Theater Command routinely patrol the South China Sea, ensuring full awareness and swift response to any Philippine provocations, Zhang said.
Responding to a question concerning the Philippine milit’s claim about the incident at Huangyan Dao, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday that the Philippines’ remarks disrespect facts and confuse right and wrong.
Huangyan Dao has always been China’s territory, Lin said, adding that the Philippine milit vessel attempted to intrude into waters of Huangyan Dao. China took necess measures to handle the matter, which are legitimate, lawful, professional and restrained.
“The Philippines’ repeated infringement and provocation at sea is the root cause leading to the current tensions. China urges the Philippines to stop infringement and provocation at once, and refrain from challenging China’s firm resolve to safeguard the nation’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” Lin noted.
Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times that the fundamental purpose of the Philippines’ hype over these incidents is to refuse to recognize China’s sovereignty over its territorial waters and maritime rights, demonstrating its denial of China’s control over Huangyan Dao.
At the same time, the Philippines may hope to use its frequent maritime actions and the hype in international public opinion, its usual tactics, to showcase a tough stance through continuous provocations, catering to certain domestic needs, such as seeking public support ahead of the Philippines’ upcoming midterm elections, Chen said.
The Philippines’ maritime moves in Huangyan Dao waters not only pose certain security risks but also negatively impact regional peace and stability, Chen added.
In addition to the failed attempt to intruding into Chinese territorial waters around Huangyan Dao, the Philippines has also made other moves in the South China Sea recently, harming regional peace and stability.
The Philippines, the US and Australia recently made statements on their joint sea and air patrol in the South China Sea, claiming that the operation aims at enhancing joint operation capability and is in support of “a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
Commenting on the matter, Lin said at Thursday’s press briefing that China firmly opposes the recent joint sea and air patrol in the South China Sea by the Philippines, the US and Australia and their hyping up.
The US and other countries outside the region have patched up small groupings in the South China Sea to stoke confrontation in the name of cooperation, flex milit muscles in the name of freedom, and create trouble in the name of upholding order. They are the biggest source of risks undermining the peace and stability in the South China Sea, Lin added.
