CN "Philippines Responsible for South China Sea Sovereignty Dispute... Hopes to Manage Through Dialogue and Negotiation"

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson: "Maritime Dispute Is Not the Whole of Bilateral Relations"

China blamed the Philippines for the cause of the conflict over sovereignty in the South China Sea but stated that the door for dialogue remains open.

Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular briefing on the 19th, "The recent issues between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea were entirely caused by the Philippines' deliberate provocations," adding, "However, maritime disputes are not the entirety of China-Philippines relations."

He continued, "China hopes to properly manage differences through dialogue and negotiations with the Philippines," emphasizing, "We will not close the door to dialogue with the Philippines."

In particular, he urged, "We hope the Philippines will fulfill its promise to handle differences well through dialogue and negotiations, work together with China for the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations, and safeguard regional peace and stability."

Wang Wenbin, Spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Photo by Yonhap News

The China Coast Guard and Philippine coast guard vessels, government ships, and supply ships clashed near Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands (called Nansha Qundao by China and Kalayaan Islands by the Philippines) on the 10th.

China claims 90% of the South China Sea, including Second Thomas Shoal, as its territorial waters, leading to conflicts with the Philippines. Due to this, the Philippines filed a lawsuit with the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), which ruled in 2016 that China’s sovereignty claims lack legal basis under international law.

However, China still draws nine dashed lines in a U-shape (the "nine-dash line") in the South China Sea and continues to control the entry of Philippine vessels.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.