China reiterates sovereignty over Nansha Islands, urges Philippines restraint

China on Monday reiterated its indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and their adjacent waters, including the Ren'ai Reef, while urging the Philippines to stop provocative practices at sea and groundless smears against China.

The Foreign Ministry made the remarks in a statement after a spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said on Saturday that China's claim of "indisputable sovereignty" over "West Philippine Sea" is disputable, and its "unfounded" claim and actions in the water area is irresponsible.

The Ren'ai Reef has been China's territory since ancient times and it has never been the Philippines' territory, the statement said.

It is an integral part of China's Nansha Islands geographically, economically, politically and historically, which has been widely acknowledged by the international community and fully accords with provisions on archipelagos in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, a spokesperson said in the statement.

The spokesperson also rebutted the so-called South China Sea arbitration award, calling it "illegal, null and void."

It is legally untenable for the Philippines to claim that the Ren'ai Reef is part of its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf based on the award, the spokesperson added.

Recently the Philippines has taken a series of steps at the Ren'ai Reef that seriously violate China's territorial sovereignty. The country has kept sending official vessels and warships to the adjacent waters of the Ren'ai Reef in an attempt to send construction materials for repairing and reinforcing a "grounded" military vessel in the area.

China has made serious démarches to the Philippines on multiple occasions, the spokesperson said.

China Coast Guard has expelled Philippine vessels that illegally entered the waters near the Ren'ai Reef.

The responsibility for the current situation at sea completely lies with the Philippines, the spokesperson said.

The Philippines' actions seriously violated China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, contravened international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and disrupted peace and stability in the region, the spokesperson said.

Beijing again urges Manila to avoid undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea and harming the common interests of countries in the region, the spokesperson said.

China will continue to, in accordance with domestic laws and international law, do what is necessary to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, the spokesperson added.