Dai Bingguo

China‘s top diplomat said yesterday that the nation would not tolerate bullying by smaller countries, “for instance, the Philippines“.

The remarks by State Councillor Dai Bingguo came ahead of today’s start to a 2-1/2-month fishing ban by China in the South China Sea, including the waters surrounding the disputed Scarborough Shoal.

At a meeting of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Dai said that, given China’s size and high-speed development, the country must remain humble and not make other countries feel threatened, the China Daily reported online yesterday.

But Dai said that being humble and vigilant are not the same as being weak. “Smaller countries should not bully larger countries, for instance, the Philippines,” Dai was quoted.

The two countries have been in a stand-off over the Scarborough Shoal since April 10, when Philippine authorities accused Chinese boats of illegal fishing.

But the fishing ban, which Manila said it welcomed and would follow with similar measures, was seen by some as a face-saving solution to the stand-off.

Tong Xiaoling , China’s ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, told China National Radio that Chinese marine surveillance vessels would maintain their presence during the ban.

She said fishery and coastguard authorities would continue patrols even during typhoons. Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said yesterday that China was committed to resolving the dispute through diplomatic means.

Some mainland media reports about a press conference by Philippine President Benigno Aquino on Monday suggested the Philippines no longer considered it necessary to take the dispute to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.

But presidential officials told the South China Morning Post that the government had sought legal advice on the best way to resolve this issue.

“We are still waiting for those studying [the matter],” Aquino was quoted as saying.

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• China to enforce fishing ban in disputed waters of South China Sea (chinadailymail.com)
• China, Philippines Fishing Ban Defuses Tensions (voanews.com)

Categories: Politics & Law

Tags: Benigno Aquino, China, Philippines, Politics, Scarborough Shoal, South China Sea