Philippines told to stop provocation

The China Coast Guard said a Philippine vessel collided with a Chinese coast guard boat in waters near Xianbin Reef in the South China Sea on Friday after ignoring repeated warnings from the Chinese side.

Jiang Lue, a spokesman for the China Coast Guard, said the CCG vessel Sanzhou'ao was conducting rights protection and law enforcement operations in waters near Xianbin Reef in China's Nansha Islands on Friday.

According to Jiang, Philippine vessel No 3015 ignored repeated warnings, deliberately changed course and suddenly accelerated across the bow of the Chinese vessel, resulting in a collision. He said the Philippine vessel's actions endangered the safety of the Chinese coast guard vessel and its personnel, adding that the Chinese side acted in a "professional, standardized, reasonable and lawful" manner and that responsibility for the incident rested entirely with the Philippine side.

Jiang urged the Philippines to immediately stop what he called infringement and provocative actions.

The CCG will continue rights protection and law enforcement operations in waters under China's jurisdiction to safeguard the country's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, he said.

At a news conference held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said the Philippines' actions seriously violated international law and the basic norms governing international relations.

The Philippines should immediately stop its infringement and provocative actions at sea and cease spreading false narratives and distorting right and wrong, Guo said.

China will continue to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and resolutely uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea, he added.