China warns of countermeasures against Philippines’ actions

The Chinese military said Friday that it will continue to take retaliatory measures against what it called dangerous behaviors by the Philippines in the disputed South China Sea. "The Philippines is undoubtedly the one that undermines peace and creates instability. The Chinese side remains highly vigilant and will continue to take all necessary countermeasures against the Philippines' dangerous, escalatory behaviors," National Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang told a press briefing in Beijing, according to the ministry's official Website. It is reported that the Philippine side denied the accusation of its soldiers pointing guns at Chinese coast guard ships, claiming that the personnel onboard the grounded navy vessel BRP Sierra Madre were just holding weapons in hand for self-defense. Moreover, Manila claimed that there were small-scale sea reclamation activities on Xianbin Jiao (Sabina Shoal), and the Chinese People's Liberation Army had recently sent an air-cushion craft and an aircraft to cond uct exercises in the waters around the shoal. When being asked to comment on such remarks, Zhang replied that the Nansha (Spratly) Islands, including Ren'ai Reef and Xianbin Jiao, are China's inherent territory. "It's legitimate and reasonable for the Chinese side to carry out law enforcement activities in waters under its jurisdiction. The Chinese side has made clear its principled position on this multiple times," he said Source: Kuwait News Agency