China warns Philippines of crossing Taiwan-related 'red lines'
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China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson made it clear that the Philippines should understand that Taiwanese matters are a boundary that should not be crossed, warning of consequences.
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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin gestures during a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing on August 8, 2022. (AFP)
On Thursday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin warned the Philippines against crossing China's "red lines" when it comes to the Taiwan matter, stressing that it should not "play with fire".
Wenbin's remarks followed Filipino Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro's Wednesday call to fortify the Philippines' security and military presence in the Mavulis islands, located between the Province of Batanes and Taiwan.
"The Taiwan issue is the main one of China's core interests and a ’red line’ that cannot be crossed, the relevant [persons] in the Philippines should have a clear understanding of this, act with caution, and not play with fire on the Taiwan issue to avoid being used and harmed," Wenbin said in a statement.
Beijing and Manila have been entangled in tensions resulting from the South China Sea dispute, but the issue has grown since the Philippines conducted military exercises in the South China Sea in coordination with the United States.
Read more: China proposes joint military drills with the Philippines
Foreign forces act, China reacts
The South China Sea dispute has been ongoing for several years, with multiple countries, namely China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan, all fighting for sovereignty in the maritime region.
Sixty percent of maritime trade passes through Asia, with the South China Sea carrying an estimated one-third of global shipping. Most recently, US and Western-affiliated naval ships have been crossing the area as part of the ongoing provocations against China.
Beijing had always wanted to formally settle the dispute with the countries involved, but some countries sought to resort to third parties to do so. For instance, in early 2013, the Philippines initiated the South China Sea arbitration against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague - a Western-affiliated organ of the UN.
In recent months, since the West began to further stir up geopolitical tension in the region, China has begun to adopt a more defensive stance by building artificial islands and deploying coast guard and maritime patrols.
