The Philippine government secretly reinforced its dilapidated warship aground at Ren'ai Jiao in the disguise of providing "humanitarian supplies". Manila's intrusion into waters around Ren'ai Jiao without China's permission violated international law and the guiding principles of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC). The Philippine ships carried construction materials and weapons and equipment, and intentionally collided with Chinese ships. Additionally, the Philippine personnel also splashed water and hurled objects at Chinese law enforcers. Such actions have significantly intensified tensions on the sea and seriously threatened the safety of Chinese personnel and ships. It is completely lawful, reasonable, and unreproachable for China to take necessary measures to safeguard its sovereign rights in a professional and restrained manner.
近日，菲律宾政府打着“人道主义物资补给”的幌子，秘密加固停泊在仁爱礁的破旧军舰。菲律宾未经中方允许非法侵闯仁爱礁海域，违反国际法，违背《南海各方行为宣言》精神。菲方船只不仅夹带建筑材料，还偷运武器装备，故意冲撞中方船只。菲人员还对中方执法人员泼水、投掷物品。有关做法明显加剧海上紧张局势、严重威胁中方人员和船只安全。中方依法采取必要措施维护自身主权合法合理，专业克制，无可非议。
The Ren'ai Jiao has always been a part of China's Nansha Qundao. The history of the Ren'ai Jiao issue is very clear. After the Philippine warship illegally grounded at Ren'ai Jiao in 1999, which was a gross violation of China's sovereignty, China lodged representations against Manila immediately, and the latter repeatedly promised to remove the warship. Officials from the Philippine Foreign Ministry used to declare that they had no intention of building facilities on the Ren'ai Jiao, and the country had no wish to be the first one to contravene the DOC. Now 25 years have passed and the Philippine warship is still sitting there. Manila even attempted to deliver construction materials needed for massive repair and reinforcement to build permanent facilities in the Ren'ai Jiao. The Philippine side's infidelity and provocations have not only breached the understanding reached by the two countries on managing and controlling the Ren'ai Jiao issue, but also violated the DOC, especially Article 5, which provides that the parties should refrain from action of inhabiting on the presently uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, cays, and other features. The Philippine side is to blame for the recent tensions in the South China Sea.
仁爱礁历来是中国南沙群岛的一部分，仁爱礁问题的历史经纬十分清楚。菲军舰1999年在仁爱礁非法“坐滩”，严重侵犯中方主权，中方立即向菲方提出交涉，菲方也多次承诺拖走该舰。菲律宾外交部高官曾明确表示，菲方无意在仁爱礁上修建设施，不会也不愿成为第一个违反《南海各方行为宣言》的国家。但25年过去了，菲方不仅未履行承诺把军舰拖走，还企图运送用于大规模维修加固军舰的建筑物资，以期在仁爱礁上建设永久设施。菲方背信弃义、滋事挑衅，不仅违背中菲就管控仁爱礁问题达成的谅解，也违背《南海各方行为宣言》，特别是第五条关于不在无人居住的岛、礁、滩、沙上采取居住行动的规定，菲方对近期南海局势紧张负有不可推卸的责任。
China's sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao and its relevant rights and interests in the South China Sea are fully and well evidenced in historical and legal documents and widely recognized in the international community. The territory of the Philippines is defined by a series of international treaties, including the 1898 Treaty of Peace between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain, the 1900 Treaty between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain for Cession of Outlying Islands of the Philippines, and the 1930 Convention between His Majesty in Respect of the United Kingdom and the President of the United States regarding the Boundary between the State of North Borneo and the Philippine Archipelago. China's Nansha Qundao and Huangyan Dao are not within the Philippine territory as delimited above. The Philippines, through constant infringements, provocations and trouble-making on the sea and spread of disinformation in total disregard of historical facts, is trying to mislead the international community and distort its perception of the South China Sea issue.
中国对南海诸岛的主权和在南海的相关权益具有充分的历史和法理依据，得到国际社会普遍承认。菲律宾的领土范围是由包括1898年《美西和平条约》、1900年《美西关于菲律宾外围岛屿割让的条约》、1930年《关于划定英属北婆罗洲与美属菲律宾之间的边界条约》在内的一系列国际条约确定的。中国南沙群岛和黄岩岛并不在上述条约规定的菲领土范围之内。菲方罔顾历史和事实，频繁在海上侵权挑衅、制造事端，不断散布虚假信息，企图误导国际社会对南海问题的认知。
Recently the Philippines unilaterally submitted a request to the UN to extend the outer limits of its continental shelf in the disputed South China Sea, which is a downright violation of China's sovereign rights and jurisdiction, of international law including the UNCLOS, and of relevant DOCprovisions. Its attempt at encroaching upon Chinese territory in the name of demarcation will not succeed."Historical records support China's claims in the South China Sea 100%," said Mark Hoskin, a British scholar who is also a member of the London Court of International Arbitration, adding that Manila's narrative on the South China Sea disputes has no legal, historical, or factual basis whatsoever.
菲方近日单方面提交涉南海外大陆架划界案，侵犯中国的主权权利和管辖权，违反包括《联合国海洋法公约》在内的国际法，违背《南海各方行为宣言》有关规定。这种借划界案之名掩盖非法侵占之实的企图绝不会得逞。“我认为历史资料记录百分百支持中国在南海的主张。”英国学者、伦敦国际仲裁法院成员霍斯金表示，菲律宾在南海争议问题上的叙事没有任何法律、历史和事实依据。
The Philippines has colluded with out-of-region forces to constantly make waves and create trouble in the South China Sea, posing a severe threat to regional peace, stability, prosperity, and development. The US, out of its selfish geopolitical agenda, has played an infamous role by supporting Manila's infringements and using the South China Sea issue to sow discord between China and other countries in the region. To maintain its interests in Asia Pacific, Washington is turning the Philippines into its new "colony", manipulating it to stir up trouble in the South China Sea and interfering in regional affairs to contain China and maintain its global hegemony.
菲方伙同域外势力不断在南海兴风作浪，频频挑起事端，对地区和平稳定、繁荣发展造成严重危害。美国出于地缘政治私利，支持配合菲方的侵权行径，利用南海问题挑拨中国与地区国家关系，扮演了极不光彩的角色。美国为维护自己在亚太地区的利益，正把菲律宾变成一个“新殖民地”，操控其挑动南海事端、介入地区事务，以遏制中国、维护全球霸权。
Thanks to the joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries, the South China Sea situation is generally stable at the moment. The relationship between China and the Philippines is at a crossroads, and Manila had better be very careful which way it will go next. We advise the Philippine side to immediately stop any provocations that may further expand the disputes and complicate the situation, come back on the right track of observing and implementing the DOC, and make joint efforts with China to maintain bilateral relations and peace and stability in the South China Sea.
当前南海局势总体是稳定的，这是中国和东盟国家共同努力的结果。中菲关系正处在十字路口，何去何从，菲方务必慎重行事。奉劝菲方立即停止采取任何可能导致争议扩大化、局势复杂化的挑衅举动，尽快回到遵守和落实《南海各方行为宣言》精神的轨道上来，与中方一道维护好双边关系大局和南海和平稳定。
Editor's note: Originally published on people.com.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
