Foreign Ministry Spokesperson’s Answer to a Reporter’s Question on the State Council’s Statement on Ren’ai Reef.

　　CCTV News:According to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on August 7th, a spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs answered a reporter’s question about the statement on Ren’ai Reef issued by the State Council.

　　Q: The US the State Council recently issued a statement saying that China’s blocking of ships transporting rotating personnel and supplies to Ren’ai Reef’s "beach-sitting" warships and its attack with water cannons violated international law and threatened regional peace and stability, and called on China to abide by the South China Sea arbitration award. The United States supports the Philippine side’s "legitimate marine activities", claiming that an armed attack on the Philippine Marine Police will trigger the US-Philippines Common Defense Treaty. What is China’s comment on this?

　　A: Ren’ai Reef has always been a part of Nansha Islands in China. The historical latitude and longitude of the Ren’ai Reef issue is very clear. In 1999, the Philippines sent a warship to illegally "sit on the beach" in Ren’ai Reef in an attempt to change the "status quo" of Ren’ai Reef. China immediately made solemn representations and demanded that the Philippines tow the warship away. The Philippine side has repeatedly promised to tow away the warship, but it has not fulfilled its promise until today. Moreover, the Philippine side also attempted to repair and reinforce the warship on a large scale, so as to realize the permanent occupation of Ren’ai Reef. On August 5th, the Philippines, despite China’s repeated dissuasion and warnings, sent two ships into the waters of Ren’ai Reef without authorization in an attempt to transport building materials for large-scale maintenance and reinforcement to illegal "beach-sitting" warships. The Philippine move violated China’s sovereignty and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. China Marine Police stopped the boat according to law and took warning law enforcement measures. The on-site operation was professional and restrained, which was beyond reproach.

　　Ignoring the facts, the State Council of the United States issued a statement attacking China’s legitimate maritime rights protection and law enforcement actions, and endorsed the Philippine illegal provocative behavior platform. China firmly opposed it. For some time, the United States has encouraged and supported the Philippines to repair and strengthen Ren’ai Reef’s "beach-sitting" warships, and even sent military aircraft and warships to cooperate and support the Philippines at sea, and frequently threatened China by fulfilling the US-Philippines Joint Defense Treaty. This move by the United States is a blatant encouragement for the Philippine side to violate China’s sovereignty, and its plot is doomed to fail.

　　The South China Sea arbitration case is a political farce manipulated by the United States behind the scenes and under the guise of law. Its so-called ruling violates international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and is illegal and invalid. The U.S. side’s argument about this illegal ruling can in no way affect China’s firm determination and will to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in accordance with the law. We urge the US to stop using the South China Sea issue to sow dissension and sow discord, earnestly respect China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, and respect the efforts made by regional countries to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.