总台央视记者：3月29日，菲律宾国防部声明称，中方近期关于南海问题的声明显示，中国政府只会以大欺小。30日，菲国家安全委员会助理总干事马拉亚表示，如果中国用其在菲律宾海域日益咄咄逼人的行为来恐吓菲律宾人，那中国将会感到吃惊。发言人对此有何评论？
汪文斌：包括仁爱礁在内的南沙群岛是中国固有领土。菲律宾领土范围是由一系列国际条约所确定，南沙群岛不在菲领土范围内。菲律宾一再对中方进行无理指责，无非是为了掩盖其自身在南海问题上背弃承诺、侵权挑衅的事实。事实是：
菲律宾违背了在仁爱礁问题上向中方作出的承诺。菲方曾郑重承诺拖走在仁爱礁非法“坐滩”的军舰，但25年过去了，菲方军舰至今仍滞留在仁爱礁上。
菲律宾违背了中菲就妥善管控仁爱礁局势达成的谅解。菲方承诺不加固“坐滩”军舰并提前向中方通报运补计划，中方出于人道主义考虑，对菲方向“坐滩”军舰运送必要生活物资的船只多次作出临时特殊安排。但菲方却一再出尔反尔，企图运送用于大规模维修加固军舰的建筑物资，以期在仁爱礁上建设永久设施。
菲律宾违背了中国和东盟国家共同签署的《南海各方行为宣言》。《宣言》第五条规定，各方承诺保持自我克制，不采取使争议复杂化、扩大化和影响和平与稳定的行动，包括不在现无人居住的岛、礁、滩、沙或其它自然构造上采取居住的行动。仁爱礁是无人岛礁，各方应维持仁爱礁无人无设施的状态。但前不久，菲律宾军方发言人公然声称要在仁爱礁上建造永久建筑。菲律宾还频繁派员登临铁线礁等中国南海无人岛礁，严重违反《宣言》精神。
菲方依仗外部力量支持，背信弃义、一再挑衅，这是导致当前海上局势紧张的根源。事实无法掩盖，是非不容混淆。菲方应当立即停止侵权挑衅行径，尽快回到遵守和落实《宣言》精神的轨道上来。中方维护自身领土主权和海洋权益的决心坚定不移。
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson’s Remarks at the April 1 Regular Press Conference Regarding Philippine Comments on the South China Sea
CCTV: The Philippine Department of National Defense in a March 29 statement said that China’s recent statements on the South China Sea show that the Chinese government only intimidates smaller countries. On March 30, the Philippine National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said that China is “in for a rude surprise” if it intimidates Filipinos with its increasingly aggressive behavior in Philippine waters. What’s your comment?
Nansha Qundao, including Ren’ai Jiao, has always been China’s territory. The scope of Philippine territory is defined by several international treaties. China’s Nansha Qundao lies beyond the limits of the Philippine territory. The Philippines tries to hide the fact that it has broken its promise to China, violated China’s sovereignty and kept provoking China. This is the only viable explanation for the Philippines’ string of false accusations against China.
The truth on the Ren’ai Jiao issue is that the Philippines went back on its words. It made a serious promise to tow away its illegally grounded warship, but 25 years on, the Philippine vessel is still there.
The Philippines breached the understanding between the two sides on properly handling the situation on Ren’ai Jiao. The Philippines promised it will not reinforce the grounded warship and will inform China in advance of resupply plans. Out of humanitarian considerations, China made special provisional arrangements for Philippine vessels sending living necessities to the warship quite a few times. However, the Philippines refused to honor its promise and made attempts to send construction materials for large-scale repair and reinforcement of the warship in order to build permanent structures on Ren’ai Jiao.
The Philippines violated the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) jointly signed by China and ASEAN countries. Article 5 of the DOC stipulates that the Parties undertake to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability including, among others, refraining from action of inhabiting on the presently uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, cays, and other features. Ren’ai Jiao is uninhabited. Parties should maintain its state of hosting zero personnel and facilities. Most recently, however, the Philippine military spokesperson openly vowed to build permanent structures on Ren’ai Jiao. The Philippines has also repeatedly sent people to step on China’s Tiexian Jiao and other uninhabited islands and reefs that belong to China in the South China Sea, which seriously contravenes the principles of the DOC.
The Philippines, backed by external forces, has been going back on its words and making provocations. This is the real cause of the current tensions at sea. Nothing will hide the truth, and no one should turn black into white. The Philippines needs to immediately stop violating China’s sovereignty and its provocations, and return to observing the spirit of the DOC. China will not waver in its resolve to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
