Chinese embassy urges Philippines to stop illegal activities in China's territory

The Chinese Embassy to the Philippines lodged a representation to the Philippine Foreign Affairs Department on the harassment of Chinese fishermen by Philippine Navy in a lagoon in China's Huangyan Island of South China Sea, the embassy said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

The Chinese embassy reiterated China's sovereignty over Huangyan Island, and urged the Philippine side to stop immediately their illegal activities and leave the area.

According to the Chinese embassy, it got a report on Tuesday that 12 Chinese fishing boats were getting in the lagoon to take shelter due to harsh weather conditions, when a Philippine Naval gunboat blocked the entrance of the lagoon, and sent 12 Philippine soldiers, six of whom armed, to the lagoon, and harassed the Chinese fishermen.

Two Chinese Marine Surveillance ships were in that area when the incident took place, fulfilling the duties of safeguarding Chinese national maritime rights and interests, it said.

The Chinese Embassy reiterated that Huangyan Island is an integral part of the Chinese territory and the waters around it is the traditional fishing area for the Chinese fishermen, for which China has abundant historical and jurisprudence backings.

Ever since the ancient times, numerous documents on the Chinese history have written down definitely that Huangyan Island belongs to the Chinese territory. "The fact that China has sovereign rights and exercises jurisdiction over the Huangyan Island is widely respected by the international community," it said.

The Embassy said it is still engaged in discussions with the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs to seek a solution of this issue, so that China-Philippine friendly relations and peace, stability in South China Sea are well preserved in the best interest of the two countries.