China urges Philippines to ‘immediately stop provoking incidents and engaging in actions that heighten tensions in the South China Sea,’ says military spokesman
Beijing criticized the Philippines on Sunday for conducting maritime exercises with the US and Japan in the contested waters of the South China Sea, state-run Xinhua News reported.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines said in a statement that it held the 11th Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity with the US Indo-Pacific Command and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force through Friday and Saturday.
The statement on the US social media company, X, said the exercise “reaffirms the Philippines’ steadfast commitment to safeguarding its maritime interests and upholding peace and security in the region.”
In response to the drill, Beijing said the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command conducted patrols in the South China Sea on Friday and Saturday.
Tian Junli, the command's spokesman, said the Philippines had colluded with countries outside the region for so-called "joint patrols," spread “illegal claims” about the South China Sea and undermined “peace and stability” in the region.
"We solemnly warn the Philippine side to immediately stop provoking incidents and engaging in actions that heighten tensions in the South China Sea," said Tian, while adding that any attempt to obtain external assistance would be in vain.
Tian stressed that the Southern Theater Command remains on high alert to resolutely safeguard China's “territorial sovereignty and national security,” and to uphold “peace and stability” in the South China Sea.
"Any attempt to stir up trouble or disrupt order in the South China Sea is doomed to fail," he said.
