China asks Philippines to remove Coast Guard ship from disputed waters

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - China on Monday called for the Philippines to withdraw its Coast Guard vessel from contested waters, accusing Manila of unlawful occupation and provocations in the South China Sea.

“China asks the Philippines to immediately withdraw the vessel illegally anchored in the lagoon, and stop infringement activities and provocations at once,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning during a press conference.

Mao highlighted that the Nansha Islands, also known as Spratly Islands, are integral to China, asserting that the Philippines has been "illegally anchoring” in the lagoon of Xianbin Jiao for weeks in “an attempt to permanently occupy the area.”

“This is the root cause of the current escalatory situation at Xianbin Jiao,” she added.

She justified China's activities at the reef, claiming they are legitimate and aimed at safeguarding China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.

China also expressed its readiness to engage in dialogue with the Philippines through diplomatic means to address the maritime issues.

Tensions have recently escalated between the two countries.

The Philippine Coast Guard reported that a Chinese vessel "intentionally rammed and collided" with its patrol ship three times on Saturday. In contrast, Beijing accused the Philippine vessel of "deliberately colliding" with the Chinese ship.

China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, including the Sabina Shoal, located 140 kilometers (86 miles) west of the Philippine island of Palawan.