Beijing has called on the Philippines to give up "unrealistic illusions" in the South China Sea, after Manila reaffirmed that Scarborough Shoal and the Kalayaan Island Group are integral parts of the Philippine archipelago.
China's Defence Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang made the remarks during a news conference on Friday, according to an official statement. "We urge the Philippine side to give up unrealistic illusions, and stop putting on self-staged farces at sea or orchestrating propaganda," Zhang said.
His comments came a day after the Philippines' Department of National Defence posted a statement on the U.S. social media platform Facebook, saying that "China's narrative that the Philippines is a 'late claimant,' which ignores centuries of legal history and is flatly contradicted by official maps and legal documents that predate the People's Republic of China itself."
Manila also said that the scope of Philippine territories "has been defined by a series of international treaties," adding that China's Huangyan Dao (Scarborough Shoal) and Nansha Qundao (Kalayaan Island Group) are not within its scope.
Responding to this, Zhang reiterated that China "will continue to take resolute measures to firmly safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests."
China claims sovereignty over Huangyan Dao, a territory disputed with the Philippines and known in Manila as the Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc. The area has long been one of the most contentious flashpoints in the South China Sea, a region rich in resources and vital for global trade routes.
At the same briefing, Zhang also criticised Washington over its latest support for Taiwan, saying that "playing the 'Taiwan card' is no different from playing with fire." He described the U.S. Senate's recent passage of a bill allocating $1 billion in military aid for Taiwan and recommending its participation in the next Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) as "an extremely dangerous gambling act" and warned that the U.S. "will surely pay a heavy price for it."
RIMPAC, the world's largest international maritime warfare exercise, is held biennially around the Hawaiian Islands and often draws participation from dozens of countries.
Russia and Ukraine have begun a localised ceasefire around the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, allowing humanitarian aid deliveries and evacuatio...
Romanian authorities say they have uncovered a sabotage network allegedly coordinated from Russia and linked to...
The Council of the European Union has approved a new support package worth nearly €4.9 billion ($5.4 billi...
Uzbekistan summoned Iran’s ambassador following claims by several Iranian diplomatic missions that the historical and architectural heritage of Samarkand belongs to Persian or Iranian-Islamic civilisation, Tashkent's Foreign Ministry said.
Serbia's Aleksandar Vučić has conceded defeat after a student-led protest movement took the majority of seats in Sunday's parliamentary elections.
Russian strikes hit several parts of Ukraine overnight, injuring at least six people and targeting energy and port infrastructure, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said U.S. warnings about imminent Russian ballistic missile attacks had resumed.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council says senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye will travel to Tehran to discuss regional security.
Protests against war and rising living costs took place in major Italian cities on Saturday, with some incidents of violence and clashes, a week after unrest erupted across the country.
Russia and Ukraine have begun a localised ceasefire around the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, allowing humanitarian aid deliveries and evacuations from the frontline area.
Romanian authorities say they have uncovered a sabotage network allegedly coordinated from Russia and linked to a fire near a defence manufacturing site in the central city of Brasov, underscoring growing concerns about hybrid threats targeting military infrastructure across Europe.
The Council of the European Union has approved a new support package worth nearly €4.9 billion ($5.4 billion) for Ukraine, reinforcing the bloc's military backing for Kyiv as it continues to defend itself against Russia's invasion.
Harry Kane has been crowned the 2026 Ballon d'Or winner, completing a journey that saw him rise from a young player struggling to break into Tottenham Hotspur's first team to one of the most prolific goalscorers in football history.
Washington and Ottawa are negotiating an agreement that would ease U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel and autos, according to two U.S. and four Canadian sources, as the neighbours try to mend ties damaged when trade talks collapsed in August.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment