China and the Philippines resume their war of words as the focus shifts from Scarborough to the Spratly Islands
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- Beijing claims to have “indisputable sovereignty” over the Spratly Islands
- Manila recently rejected China’s claim that it has “indisputable” sovereignty over Second Thomas Shoal.
- The disputed shoal became the focus of a territorial dispute earlier this year after a water cannon incident.
China and the Philippines are once again locked in a war of words after escalating tensions over the controversial Scarborough Reef in the South China Sea, but this time the focus is on another disputed area: the Spratly Islands.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday asserted that the Nansha Islands
(known as the Kalayaan Islands in the Philippines), known internationally as the Spratly Islands, belong to the country and have never been part of Philippine territory.
Beijing claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, as emphasized by the new map which now has a 10-dash line.
“China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and adjacent waters, including Ren’ai Jiao (Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines).
This sovereignty has been developed and established throughout history and in accordance with international law, especially the United Nations Charter.
” he say.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Monday.
(known as the Kalayaan Islands in the Philippines), known internationally as the Spratly Islands, belong to the country and have never been part of Philippine territory.
Beijing claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, as emphasized by the new map which now has a 10-dash line.
“China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and adjacent waters, including Ren’ai Jiao (Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines).
This sovereignty has been developed and established throughout history and in accordance with international law, especially the United Nations Charter.
” he say. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Monday. “
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Beijing’s latest comments came after Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Colonel Medel Aguilar rejected China’s claim of “indisputable” sovereignty over the Reef.
Ayungin or Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands, is rejected.
“On the one hand, UNCLOS [United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea] said no to his request.
Second, the arbitral award invalidated it.
Third, some countries have expressed their disagreement.
their support for the Philippines and the rules-based international organization.
” order,” while no one openly supports China in its actions in the WPS [West Philippine Sea] area,” Aguilar said.
Beijing’s assertion on Monday that Ren’ai Jiao “has never been Philippine territory,” appeared to be backed up by “a series of international treaties” that define the Southeast Asian country’s territorial boundaries.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs once again rejected the 2016 Manila international arbitration ruling, saying the court that issued the decision allegedly “violates the principle of state consensus.
” China has repeatedly rejected the legality of the arbitration ruling, which favored the Philippines and largely invalidated Beijing’s claims in the South China Sea.
Amid escalating tensions between Beijing and Manila over the marine-rich Scarborough Shoal (known as Huangyan Dao in China and Bajo De Masinloc or Panatag Shoal in the Philippines), the Spratly Islands, especially shallow Second Thomas, is re-emerging as a focal point.
points in the territorial dispute after tensions peaked earlier this year.
In February, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) accused the China Coast Guard (CCG) of using military-grade laser lights against a patrol boat in Second Thomas Shoal, allegedly temporarily blinding the crew.
China later said that the CCG’s action was necessary because the Philippine patrol ship had entered its waters.
PCG also accused Chinese ships of continuously carrying out dangerous maneuvers around Ayungin Shoal.
Beijing said the cause was due to provocative actions by Philippine ships.
In August, the PCG said the CCG fired water cannons at Philippine ships during a mission to resupply a ship stranded at Second Thomas Shoal.
Beijing claimed its action was due to Manila’s withdrawal from an agreement to remove BRP Sierra Madre from the disputed Ren’ai Jiao base.
The Philippines sent senior officials to Pag-asa island (Thitu island) in the Spratly archipelago last weekend to supervise a number of development projects on the island, where Filipino civilians have lived since 2001.
It is unclear whether Manila will begin developing other islands in the Spratlys, but reports have emerged in recent years of alleged reclamation activities by Beijing in areas of the disputed island group.
islands, especially at Eldad Reef, Lankiam Cay, Sandy Cay and Whitsun Reef.
