Q: Have China and the Philippines reached an understanding on managing the situation at Ren’ai Jiao?

A: I need to stress first and foremost that Ren’ai Jiao is part of China’s Nansha Qundao and China has sovereignty over Ren’ai Jiao and the rest of Nansha Qundao as well as their adjacent waters. On how to handle the current situation at Ren’ai Jiao, China has publicly stated our principled position which consists of three points:

First, by keeping its warship grounded at Ren’ai Jiao for decades running, the Philippines has been violating China’s sovereignty and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), especially Article 5 which says the parties should refrain from action of inhabiting on the uninhabited islands and reefs. We continue to demand that the Philippines tow away the warship and restore Ren’ai Jiao’s state of hosting no personnel or facilities.

Second, between now and when the warship is towed away, should the Philippines need to send living necessities to the personnel living on the warship, China is willing to allow it in a humanitarian spirit if the Philippines informs China in advance and after on-site verification is conducted. China will monitor the entire resupply process.

Third, if the Philippines were to send large amount of construction materials to the warship and attempt to build fixed facilities or permanent outpost, China will absolutely not accept it and will resolutely stop it in accordance with the law and regulations to uphold China’s sovereignty and the sanctity of the DOC.

On the basis of the above principled position, China recently had a series of consultation with the Philippines on managing the situation at Ren’ai Jiao and reached provisional arrangement with the Philippines on humanitarian resupply of living necessities. The two sides agreed to jointly manage differences on maritime issues and work for deescalation in the South China Sea.