South China Sea: Beijing accuses Philippines of ‘hype’ over Chinese fleet at Whitsun Reef
- China’s foreign ministry spokesman says his countrymen have sheltered in and fished the contested waters ‘for thousands of years’
- Manila tones down criticism and warns of potential damage to China-Philippines relationship
China has asked Manila to “stop hyping up” the fleet of Chinese vessels moored around Whitsun Reef in the disputed South China Sea.
The Philippines says the ships are maritime militia but China insists they are civilian fishing boats “sheltering from wind” in their own traditional fishing ground.
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Philippines sounds alarm over 200 Chinese ships in the South China Sea
On Tuesday, China’s foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Manila “harboured ulterior motives and hostile intentions” when calling the Chinese ships maritime militia, and reiterated that Chinese fishermen had enjoyed the right to fish and seek shelter in the area “for thousands of years”.
“I don’t understand why some relevant party calls the Chinese fishermen maritime militia … This saying reflects ulterior motives and hostile intentions.”
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Monday that Manila would protest daily until China withdrew all its vessels. It also cited Manila’s 2016 victory at an international tribunal which rejected China’s claim of “historic rights” over much of the South China Sea.
On Tuesday, Zhao said: “The South China Sea arbitral ruling is illegal and ineffective. The Chinese side does not accept or recognise the ruling, and oppose … the Philippine side using the illegal ruling to deny the thousand years of fishing rights of the Chinese fishermen in the area.