PH rejects China’s claims: No wordplay can hide the real South China Sea issue

Metro Manila, Philippines – The Philippine government has strongly rejected China’s latest claim that incidents in the South China Sea are “staged” by Western countries.

In a statement on Monday, March 10, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) criticized Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s remarks, in which he compared the Philippines’ actions in the West Philippine Sea to a scripted performance allegedly directed by foreign nations.

“The Philippines disagrees with the recent remarks of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi characterizing the developments and incidents in the South China Sea as mere theatre staged under the direction of other countries,” the DFA said.

The department also reminded China that the Philippines is a sovereign nation.

“China should recognize that the Philippines is an independent and sovereign state whose actions and decisions are driven entirely by national interest and the interests and well-being of the Filipino people,” it said.

“No creative analogy or play of words will mask the real issue, which is China’s refusal to abide by international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award, and the adverse effects of China’s disregard for the rules-based international order on Filipino communities genuinely affected by China’s illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive behavior at sea,” it added.

The DFA’s statement echoed Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo’s response over the weekend, in which he said China’s framing of the situation “distorts the issue.”

“It’s distorting the issue. This is being cast in the light of a strategic rivalry among the big powers when, actually, the issue is really an issue of Philippine interest. And it’s how it affects the Philippines,” Manalo told reporters in Taguig on Saturday, March 8.

He also emphasized that the South China Sea situation should not be reduced to a global power struggle.

“I think if that’s unfortunately the way they view it, then certainly it won’t really lead to any productive talk. So we really hope that we look at this as an issue which concerns Philippine interests specifically,” he added.