According to Chinese state media outlet Xinhua News Agency, on November 11 a reporter at the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s regular press conference asked: “According to reports, on November 8th, the U.S. State Department issued a statement supporting the Philippines’ enactment of the ‘Maritime Zones Law,’ stating that this law aligns Philippine domestic law with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling. The U.S. values the Philippines’ leadership in upholding international law, particularly in the South China Sea, and urges countries to align their maritime claims with international maritime law as reflected in UNCLOS. What is China’s response to this?”
Lin Jian, the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s spokesperson, responded that “the U.S., motivated by its geopolitical interests, has continuously instigated and encouraged the Philippines to provoke disputes and infringe on China’s rights in the South China Sea for many years,” and that “the U.S. has the malicious intent of sowing discord – a motive well understood by the world.”
“The U.S. repeatedly demands that other countries abide by UNCLOS, yet it refuses to join the convention itself. This is a classic example of hypocritical ‘double standards,’” Lin said. He added that the South China Sea arbitration case itself violates UNCLOS and is nothing more than a political farce; its so-called ruling is illegal and invalid.
Source: Xinhua, November 11, 2024
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