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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Chinese leaders 'hallucinating' for accusing PH of disrespecting its sovereignty - Hontiveros

Chinese leaders 'hallucinating' for accusing PH of disrespecting its sovereignty - Hontiveros

Published Apr 28, 2021 08:51 am

China should be the one respecting the Philippine’s rights and sovereignty in its maritime territories in the West Philippine Sea and not the other way around, Senator Risa Hontiveros said on Wednesday, April 28.

“Let us make it clear: Beijing has been the one disrespecting the Philippines’ sovereignty; not the other way around. Beijing needs to stop contorting facts to suit her baseless claims,” Hontiveros said in a statement.

The senator’s rebuttal came after the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said the Philippines should “stop actions complicating the situation and escalating disputes.”

This happened after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) started conducting drills since last week as part of their efforts to secure “our maritime jurisdiction.”

Hontiveros said the statement issued by China’s foreign ministry is alarming, reminding Beijing that since the previous millennium, the South China Sea “has always been shared by the region, as a common maritime route and a source of fish and marine resources.”

“It is also alarming that Beijing’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin had the gall to say that Philippine officials are the ones ‘complicating the situation and escalating disputes’,” she said.

“It seems that China is the one hallucinating. She must be the one living in an alternate reality,” the senator reiterated.

If China sincerely wants to avoid escalating the tensions, the lawmaker said it should pull back her navy and maritime militia in the West Philippine Sea.

“China can’t even respect freedom of navigation on the high seas, and now she wants respect for her unfounded nine-dash line? Many countries and organizations have stood up for the Philippines, expressing grave concern over China’s increasingly violent actions in the West Philippine Sea,” she pointed out.

She said even the international community has come out to support the Philippines’ rights and interests, even using the historic 2016 victory at the Hague to repeatedly remind China to follow the rules-based international order.

“If China truly wants respect, she should stop twisting and contesting the basic principles of international law. Just accept the hard truth: the West Philippine Sea belongs to us, not you,” the opposition senator stressed.

Related Tags

maritime dispute Philippine sovereignty West Philippine Sea china
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