China's Foreign Ministry Says Philippines Trespassed Its Territorial Waters

Two supply vessels from the Philippines this week trespassed the waters of the Nansha Islands without Beijing's consent, prompting China's coast guard ships to take the necessary measures, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Thursday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th November, 2021) Two supply vessels from the Philippines this week trespassed the waters of the Nansha Islands without Beijing's consent, prompting China's coast guard ships to take the necessary measures, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Thursday.

"On the evening of November 16, two Philippine supply boats trespassed into waters near Ren'ai Jiao of China's Nansha Qundao without China's consent. Chinese coast guard vessels performed official duties in accordance with law and upheld China's territorial sovereignty and maritime order," Lijian stated during a regular press conference in Beijing.

The spokesman explained that China's Coast Guard ships blocked two Philippine boats carrying food to the military on an island in the South China Sea.

Lijian added that the situation near Ren'ai Jiao is currently calm, with China and the Philippines maintaining contact and interaction on the issue.

The Philippine's Foreign Ministry condemned the actions of the Chinese ships, which, in its opinion, could threaten relations between Beijing and Manila.

For decades, China has been in disputes with several countries in the Asia-Pacific region over the territorial belonging of a number of islands in the South China Sea, on the shelf of which significant reserves of hydrocarbons have been discovered.

The situation in the region is often complicated by the passage of US warships here, which, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, violate international law and undermine China's sovereignty and security. Despite protests from Beijing, Washington has repeatedly said that the United States will float wherever international law permits.