MANILA, August 9 ----- China is "ready to continue" talks with the Philippines over their maritime dispute in the South China Sea, the Chinese embassy in Manila said.
The statement came days after Chinese vessels blocked and fired water cannons at Philippine ships anew in the West Philippine Sea, drawing condemnation from Manila and its allies across the world. The embassy said that "China has always stayed committed to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea. China and the Philippines are separated by a strip of water, and will remain close neighbors. Peace and stability in the South China Sea serves the common interests of the two peoples as well as all countries in the region, China stands ready to continue to properly handle maritime issues with the Philippines through dialogue and consultation. With a view to upholding maritime stability, we hope that the Philippines will meet China halfway and make joint efforts to start negotiation on above initiatives soon." it said.
On Saturday, Philippine Coast Guard boats were delivering food, water, fuel, and other supplies to Filipino troops stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal when they were intercepted by the Chinese Coast Guard. According to the PCG, the CCG sailed dangerously close to a Philippine boat and blasted water cannons at it and at an indigenous vessel. Beijing's foreign ministry claimed PCG crews were stopped "in accordance with law and warned them off through appropriate law enforcement measures" and that the CCG maneuvers were "professional, restrained and beyond reproach. But Manila insisted that its garrison stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre was part of "legitimate government activities."
Saturday's incident came almost a month since Manila marked the 7th anniversary of the 2016 PCA ruling, which favored its claims of the South China Sea within its exclusive economic zone and effectively invalidated Beijing's nine-dash line claim over the highly disputed waters. While the ruling has been supported by countries like Japan, the US, Australia, and France, China has repeatedly disregarded the decision.
Source: news.abs-cbn.com
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