Chinese embassy urges U.S., certain countries to stop provoking confrontation in South China Sea

MANILA, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) — The United States and certain other countries should stop provoking confrontation in the South China Sea and cease actions that undermine regional stability and exacerbate tensions, the Chinese embassy in the Philippines urged Tuesday.
In a statement issued Tuesday regarding the Xianbin Jiao collision, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in the Philippines said that the United States and certain countries are not parties to the South China Sea issue and have no right to interfere in maritime matters between China and the Philippines.
On Monday, two Philippine coast guard vessels, without permission from the Chinese government, intruded into the adjacent waters of Xianbin Jiao of China’s Nansha Qundao and, in disregard of China Coast Guard’s dissuasion and warning, acted dangerously by deliberately ramming the China Coast Guard vessel that was carrying out law enforcement operation.
“On the day of the collision, the U.S. State Department issued a statement, and Embassies of the United States and some of its allies in the Philippines also wasted no time in taking sides and making inflammatory statements, which raises questions about their underlying motives,” the spokesperson said.
The Chinese diplomat noted that spokespersons of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Coast Guard have issued statements on this incident, on-site video footages have been released, and the facts are clear and the truth is evident.
“If they genuinely care about peace and stability in the South China Sea, why do they persist in sowing discord and fueling tensions?” the spokesperson said.
The statement said that China is committed to handling maritime disputes with the Philippines properly through dialogue and consultation. “We hope the Philippines will honor its commitment, earnestly observe the understandings and arrangement reached with China, refrain from taking actions that may complicate the situation, and work with China to get the situation at sea under control.” ■