Philippines tells China: Maritime actions not 'threatre' but defense of sovereign rights

March 10, 2025 | 12:15pm

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has called out China's foreign minister for using "creative analogy" and wordplay to distract from the core issue in the South China Sea dispute — Beijing's continued refusal to comply with international law.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) issued a strongly-worded statement Monday, March 10, that expresses its disagreement with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's claim that Philippine actions in the South China Sea are a "shadow play" determined by "a screenplay written by external forces."  

"The Philippines disagrees with the recent remarks of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi characterizing the developments and incidents in the South China Sea as mere theatre staged under the direction of other countries," the DFA said.

The DFA stressed that the Philippines is an independent and sovereign state whose "decisions are driven entirely by national interest and the interests and well-being of the Filipino people."

"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's statement read, referencing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the landmark Hague ruling that rejected China's expansive maritime claims.

At a March 7 press conference, the Chinese foreign minister accused the Philippines of carrying out moves in the South China Sea at the behest of foreign powers. Wang specifically said: "For every move on the sea by the Philippines, there is a screenplay written by external forces, the show is live-streamed by Western media, and the plot is invariably to smear China."

Wang further warned that countries siding with external powers would eventually be abandoned, saying that provoking China would backfire and "those acting as others' chess pieces are bound to be discarded."

China has repeatedly responded to criticisms of its actions in the South China Sea by claiming other parties are exaggerating tensions or "smearing" Beijing. The People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command made similar assertions after a February 18 mid-air incident with a Philippine patrol plane, insisting it had driven away the Philippine aircraft for supposedly entering China's airspace and that "hyping" the incident "will ultimately prove futile." 

Last month, China also accused Australia of "hyping up" concerns about Chinese live-fire drills in international waters, which Canberra maintained were conducted without required prior notification.

This verbal exchange comes weeks after a February 18 incident where a Chinese military helicopter flew dangerously close — within 3 meters — to a Philippine Cessna plane conducting routine aerial patrols over Scarborough Shoal. This triggered a diplomatic protest from Manila and a formal condemnation from several foreign powers, which called the action reckless and dangerous. 

China says its actions were justified as the Philippine aircraft had "illegally intruded" into its airspace when it conducted a patrol over Scarborough Shoal. But a 2016 ruling that invalidated Beijing's claim over nearly the entire South China Sea had affirmed the Philippines' sovereign rights to explore and manage resources within this area. 

Beijing has repeatedly refused to recognize the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2016 that nullified its sweeping "nine-dash line" claim in the resource-rich waters. 

The DFA in its statement also noted "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 behavior 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 said.