CHINA TO NEIGHBORS: KEEP OUT OF SPRATLYS

Vowing to assert sovereignty in the disputed Spratly Islands, China on Thursday warned its neighbors to stop searching for oil in the contested region without its permission.
The warning came amid a report from Hanoi that China, for the second time in two weeks, on Thursday harassed a Vietnamese vessel conducting seismic surveys within Vietnam’s continental shelf.
Vietnam’s prime minister said Hanoi was determined to protect its “incontestable” sovereignty over areas it claims in the South China Sea in an intensifying war of words with Beijing.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, smarting at Beijing’s stepped-up criticism of the Philippines, scoffed at China’s demands.
“For heaven’s sake, don’t lecture to us. We can equally lecture to you even if you are a giant,” Enrile told reporters.
A day after Beijing warned Manila to refrain from unilateral actions that could damage Chinese sovereignty, Chinese Ambassador Liu Jianchao issued another warning.
Totally China’s territory
“We’re calling on all parties to stop searching the possibility of exploiting resources in the area where China has claims. At the same time, if the countries want to do so, you can talk to China about the possibility of having a joint cooperation development and exploitation of natural resources,” Liu said.
Asked about reports of oil exploration in the disputed region, Liu said: “China hasn’t started drilling oil wells in this region. Personally, I don’t know anything about what was reported. China has a large maritime area, for example in East China Sea.”
Recently, Manila lodged a protest in the United Nations over the harassment by a Chinese vessel of a Department of Energy vessel.
“It’s not harassment. It’s a normal practice and exercise of jurisdiction, and the rumor was the Chinese vessels made an ammunition assault, which is not true,” Liu said.
He added that the Reed Bank—which the Philippines calls Kalayaan—was “totally within China’s territorial claims.”
‘Bad rumor’
The ambassador urged all parties to set aside differences and engage in joint cooperation.
“Peaceful means is the only option for China and we’re determined to carry on with peaceful consultations with our partners, our neighbors who are also claiming the Nansha (Spratly) Islands. So I hope that all countries will face it with reality and consider overall peace and stability in the region,” Liu said.
The ambassador said it was unfortunate that the current dispute with the Philippines began with a “bad rumor,” referring to reports of Chinese jet fighters allegedly intruding into Philippine airspace near the Spratlys.
Liu denied the reports and added that these had been clarified with the Department of Foreign Affairs.
But Eduardo Batac, spokesperson of the Department of National Defense, said the Philippine military was standing by previous government statements on Chinese “intrusions.”
“We are bringing our case to the international community and we will let the international community be the judge with regard to the actions taken by the Chinese,” Batac said.
He declined to comment on strongly worded statements from Beijing.
Manila has accused Beijing of intrusions into its territory, citing six instances, including one in March when two Chinese patrol boats tried to ram a Philippine survey ship.
China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan all claim territories in the South China Sea, which covers an important shipping route and is thought to hold untapped oil and gas reserves.



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