MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines expressed disagreement on the recent remarks of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi when he characterized the developments and incidents in the South China Sea as “mere theatre staged under the direction of other countries,” the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement on Monday.
“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,” the DFA stated.
In an international forum held recently, Wang mentioned that the frictions between China and the Philippines are like “shadow play.”
“For every move on the sea by the Philippines, there is a screenplay written by external forces, the show is livestreamed by Western media, and the plot is invariably to smear China. People are not interested in watching the same performance again and again,” Wang said in a statement shared by the Embassy of China in Manila.
Wang reiterated that China will continue to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in accordance with the law.
He also warned the Philippines to “stop misleading the international community,” by using the South China Sea issue to instigate disputes, and counting on “external forces to undermine peace and stability in the South China Sea region.
“Infringement and provocation will backfire and those acting as others’ chess pieces are bound to be discarded,” Wang said.
The DFA fired back by saying that “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.”
The DFA also mentioned 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 behaviour at sea.
“We call on countries to be circumspect and to avoid actions and words that only contribute to tensions in the region,” the DFA reiterated in the statement.
