December 15, 2023

In response to Philippine vessels' provocation in the South China Sea and the continuous hype and smear campaign against China, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense on Friday reiterated its stance and urged related parties to stop provocations and avoid escalating the situation. 

Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang said that on December 10, the Philippines disregarded repeated dissuasion and warnings from China and insisted on sending vessels to the waters adjacent to Ren'ai Jiao (also known as Ren'ai Reef) in the Nansha Islands of China, in an attempt to transport construction materials to its illegally grounded warship on the reef. 

During the process, the Philippine ships intentionally collided with China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels in a dangerous manner, resulting in scraping. Some Philippine military personnel also boarded the illegally grounded warship and hyped up the situation. 

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