This image released by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, shows a Chinese militia vessel, top, and Philippine coast guard vessel BRP Cabra as they approach Second Thomas Shoal, locally called Ayungin Shoal, at the disputed South China Sea on Sunday Oct. 22, 2023. (Armed Forces of the Philippines via AP)
MANILA, Philippines — China on Monday expressed “strong dissatisfaction” and “firm opposition” to the Philippines’ condemnation of the recent ramming incident in the West Philippine Sea.
In a statement, the Chinese Embassy said Deputy Chief of Mission Zhou Zhiyong met with Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Aileen Mendiola-Rau on Monday.
The Chinese Embassy official was summoned after a Chinese maritime militia boat on Sunday rammed Philippine vessels on a resupply mission to troops stationed in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.
“DCM Zhou conveyed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition of the Chinese side to the Philippine side over its vessels’ intruding the waters of Ren’ai Jiao (Ayungin Shoal) on October 22,” said the Chinese embassy.
The embassy said that during the meeting, Zhou insisted that Ayungin Shoal, which it called Ren’ai Jiao, is part of China’s territory.
“China once again urges the Philippines to take seriously China’s grave concerns, honor its promise, stop making provocations at sea, stop making dangerous moves, stop groundlessly attacking and slandering China, and to tow away the illegally grounded warship as soon as possible so that the peace and stability of the South China Sea will not be jeopardized and the common interests of countries in the region will not be affected,” said the Embassy.
Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), in a separate statement issued Monday, asserted the country’s sovereignty over Ayungin Shoal.
“Our resolve to continue pursuing our mandate of protecting and upholding the country’s legal maritime entitlements remains firm. We are making full use of diplomatic processes and are exercising all possible actions available to us. That includes summoning the Chinese Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM), which we did today,” the DFA said.
“Ayungin Shoal is part of our exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, and we have sovereign rights and jurisdiction over it,” DFA added.
Similar to the country’s stand in the past, the DFA stood its ground and stressed that the Philippines intends to “clearly convey” that it has every right to carry legitimate activities in its maritime zones.
No form of interference, according to the DFA, is accepted.