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China's countermeasures against Philippines at Tiexian Jiao necessary, legitimate and lawful: FM

Global Times

By GT staff reporters Published: May 23, 2025 04:02 PM Updated: May 24, 2025 01:40 AM

Despite repeated warnings from China, the Philippines has repeatedly sent personnel to illegally land on China's Tiexian Jiao in the Nansha Qundao, seriously infringing on China's sovereignty and gravely violating the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC). China's response is fully necessary, legitimate and lawful, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, in response to the Philippines and the US' hyping of China Coast Guard (CCG)'s law enforcement operations near Tiexian Jiao.

A briefing by the CCG said on Thursday that Philippine government vessels 3002 and 3003 illegally intruded into the waters near Zhubi Jiao and Tiexian Jiao of China's Nansha Qundao on Wednesday without permission from the Chinese government. The Philippine side also organized personnel to illegally land on Tiexian Jiao and carry out activities there. In response, CCG law enforcement personnel carried out control measures in accordance with the law, conducted on-reef inspection and collected evidence of illegal activity.

However, the US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson posted on X on Thursday, claiming that the China Coast Guard took "aggressive actions" against the Philippines' "civilian mission."

In response, Mao said CCG has released a statement and on-site video footage on the incident. The facts speak for themselves.

The Philippines, despite China's dissuasion, has repeatedly sent people to illegally step on Tiexian Jiao, which is part of China's Nansha Qundao. That severely infringes on China's sovereignty, and violates the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

China's response is fully necessary, legitimate and lawful. The Philippines needs to immediately stop its infringement activities and provocations. Otherwise, China will make a resolute response. The US should refrain from using the Philippines to create trouble in the South China Sea and stop undermining peace and tranquility in the South China Sea, Mao said.

The relevant video evidence released by the CCG on Thursday night showed that the CCG vessel used a water-cannon warning to deal with the Philippine infringement, and dispatched high-speed boats to chase and intercept the Philippine vessels. The CCG personnel also boarded the reef to collect evidence and displayed the Chinese national flag to assert sovereignty.

The video evidence showed that during the water-cannon warning against Philippine vessel 3002, the CCG vessel 21559 mainly aimed at its main mast device.

Yang Xiao, an international strategic scholar, told the Global Times that the main mast of the Philippine vessel was mainly equipped with electronic devices. This approach can effectively prevent the infringement behavior of the Philippine vessel, and at the same time, minimize the additional harm to the Philippine personnel. This response shows that the control measures taken by the CCG against the Philippine vessels in accordance with the law are reasonable and moderate.