Luo Zheng

On October 12, Agence France-Presse (AFP) issued a report named ‘China, Philippines trade blame over boat collision’ and was published in the Namibia’s New Era newspaper the next day. 

This report is totally contrary to the basic facts, which I wish to state as follows:

On 12 October, Philippine official vessels, with the hull number of 3002 and 3003, illegally entered the waters near Tiexian Jiao of China’s Nansha Qundao without the permission of the Chinese government. 

At 09h19, Philippine official vessel 3003 ignored multiple warnings from the Chinese side and dangerously approached the China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 21559, which was conducting normal law enforcement activities, resulting in a collision. 

The full responsibility lies with the Philippine side. 

The CCG took control measures according to law against the Philippine vessels and resolutely expelled them. 

The operations were professional, standardised, reasonable and lawful. 

The CCG has released a statement and on-site video footage on the incident. 

The facts speak for themselves, and the merits are very clear, which brook no distortion.

Zhongye Dao, Tiexian Jiao and Zhubi Jiao are part of China’s Nansha Qundao, belonging to China’s territory. 

As is well known, the territory of the Philippines is defined by a series of international treaties, including the 1898 Treaty of Paris. 

The Philippines’ territory so defined has nothing to do with China’s Nansha Qundao. 

The Philippines has taken organised and orchestrated moves to send a large number of ships to make provocations and create trouble in relevant waters of China’s Nansha Qundao. 

Those moves have breached the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, severely violated China’s sovereignty and rights and interests, threatened the safety and security of Chinese vessels and personnel, and undermined peace and stability at sea. 

They are the provocateur responsible for the situation at sea. 

China’s measures to safeguard its own territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests are necessary, legitimate, lawful and beyond reproach.

What happened shows once again that the Philippines’ deliberate infringement and provocations are the root cause behind the tensions. 

China urges the Philippines to immediately stop its infringement, provocations and vilification, and refrain from challenging China’s firm resolve to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

*Luo Zheng is the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Namibia.