Chinese Defense Ministry denies preparing for war over South China seas
BEIJING, May 12 (Xinhua) — China’s Defense Ministry denied reports that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) units had entered level-2 combat readiness. A brief press release published by the ministry’s official website Saturday said that those reports were not true. “The reports alleging that the People’s Liberation Army, (PLA) Guangzhou Military Area Command and the Navy’s South China Sea Fleet have entered combat readiness are not true,” the Ministry of National Defence said.
The Defence Ministry’s comments came after a warnings in state media that China is prepared to fight to end the stand-off. A brief statement from Ministry said those reports were not true.
Meanwhile, scores of people in the Philippine capital held a demonstration Friday to protest China’s increasingly bellicose rhetoric about a monthlong naval standoff between Beijing and Manila over a disputed lagoon in the South China Sea. The demonstrators gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy in Manila waving Philippine flags and banners displaying slogans like “Stop China’s aggression now.”
Protests in the Philippines prompted China to advise its citizens there to remain indoors, state media reported. Chinese travel agencies have suspended tours to the Philippines, according to state media, and China’s Vice foreign Minister Fu Ying said earlier this week that she was not optimistic about the situation in the South China Sea after meeting Philippine officials.
China’s maritime standoff with the Philippines in the South China Sea over the dispute of Huangyan Island referred by Philippines as Panatag Shoal has entered the second month. The two nations have had non-military vessels stationed at the shoal since April 8 in an effort to assert their sovereignty to the area. The standoff began last month over Philippines objecting to the presence Chinese fishermen at Scarborough Shoal.
The Philippines asserts that the uninhabited island reported to be rich with abundant natural gas and oil as part of its 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), guaranteed by UN Law of the Seas. China on the other hand says that the island was part of its coast for centuries therefore it has inherent rights over it.
On Wednesday, hackers “of still undetermined origin” struck the website of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), As a result, Pagasa suspended delivery of weather information to online users. The website was restored after about three hours. Earlier, They defaced the websites of the Department of Budget and Management and the University of the Philippines. The hackers left a map of China on the university home page with the declaration: “We are from China! Huangyan Island (Scarborough Shoal) is ours!”.
News Gathered by India News
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