According to the Department of Defense website, on the afternoon of September 24, the Department of Defense held a regular press conference. Colonel Jiang Bin, the spokesperson for the Department of Defense, answered questions from reporters.
A journalist asked that recently, the Chinese Coast Guard's Sizhou Ao boat carried out rights protection and law enforcement operations in the waters near Xianbin Reef in the China Nansha Islands. The Philippine ship, the MV Phoebe 3015, ignored several solemn warnings from China, deliberately changed its course, and suddenly accelerated to insert itself into the front of the Chinese Coast Guard boat, resulting in a collision. What is your comment on this?
Jiang Bin stated that the Chinese Coast Guard has already provided relevant information. The facts are clear and the evidence is solid; there is no room for the Philippines to make excuses or engage in provocation. The Philippine official vessels have provoked trouble near Xianbin Reef in the Chinese Nansha Islands, adopting a dangerous method similar to 'changing lanes to avoid another vehicle', deliberately hitting Chinese coast guard ships, seriously threatening the safety of Chinese personnel and vessels. This constitutes a serious violation of international law and basic norms of international relations. The Philippines keeps trying to make false claims and spread false narratives, but this cannot change the nature of their infringement and provocation. China will continue to take effective measures to firmly defend its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.
Previously, Jiang Lue, a spokesman for the Chinese Coast Guard, stated that on September 18th, the Chinese Coast Guard’s ship ‘Sanzhou Ao’ carried out rights-protecting and law enforcement operations near Xianbin Reef in the China’s Nansha Islands. The Filipino vessel ‘Filipino 3015’ ignored multiple solemn warnings from China, deliberately changed its course, and suddenly accelerated to insert itself between the front of the Chinese Coast Guard ship, resulting in a collision. The actions of the Filipino side seriously violated international law and basic norms of international relations, posing a threat to the safety of Chinese Coast Guard ships and personnel. The operation by the Chinese Coast Guard was professional and carried out in accordance with laws and regulations; all responsibility lies with the Filipino side. We warn the Filipino side to immediately stop all acts of infringement and provocation. Any consequences resulting from these actions shall be borne by the Filipino side. The Chinese Coast Guard will continue to carry out rights-protecting and law enforcement operations in the waters under Chinese jurisdiction, to safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
