China Reaffirms Stance on Philippines Maritime Disputes on July 21, Denies Impact on ASEAN Meetings

According to China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian on July 21, Beijing reiterated that recent maritime incidents with the Philippines are entirely provoked by Manila's military and police. Lin stated that whenever potential China-Philippines dialogue occurs or when major regional diplomatic events are scheduled, certain forces manipulate maritime issues to create incidents. He emphasized that China's neighborhood diplomacy policy remains consistent and unchanged.

Lin also said that East Asia's cooperation platforms are not venues for discussing bilateral maritime disputes. He called on the Philippines, as ASEAN chair, to fulfill its responsibility by promoting dialogue and cooperation rather than placing domestic political interests above regional peace and stability.