South China Sea Coast Guard Military Diplomacy

[Bilingual] Ministry of National Defense: The Chinese Side Will Continue to Conduct Rights-Protection and Law-Enforcement Operations in the Waters Adjacent to Ren'ai Jiao

【双语】国防部：中方将继续在仁爱礁附近海域开展维权执法行动

PLA Daily (解放军报) 14 August 2026

Summary

MND Spokesperson Senior Colonel Chen Xi, responding on August 14 to a Philippines-Australia joint defense ministerial statement expressing concern over China Coast Guard actions at Ren'ai Jiao (Second Thomas Shoal), rejected the criticism as 'unfounded accusations and smears' and reiterated Beijing's demand that Manila remove the BRP Sierra Madre (LT-57), pledging continued 维权执法行动 (rights-protection and law-enforcement operations) at the feature. The statement extends a consistent pattern of MND press-conference responses that frame CCG interdiction operations as lawful domestic enforcement rather than coercive action, and the explicit call for Australia to stop 渲染炒作 (hyping and sensationalizing) documents Beijing's effort to delegitimize third-party involvement in the resupply dispute before it consolidates into a broader multilateral posture.

Translation

Ministry of National Defense: The Chinese Side Will Continue to Conduct Rights-Protection and Law-Enforcement Operations in the Waters Adjacent to Ren'ai Jiao

MND: The Chinese Side Will Continue to Conduct Rights-protection and Law-enforcement Operations in the Waters Adjacent to Ren'ai Jiao

On the afternoon of August 14, Ministry of National Defense Spokesperson Senior Colonel Chen Xi released information on recent military-related issues.

Reporter: It is reported that the Philippines and Australia recently held a Defense Ministers' Meeting and issued a joint statement, expressing "serious concern" over recent actions taken by the China Coast Guard at Ren'ai Jiao, and urging all parties to operate "professionally and safely." What is your comment?

Question: It's reported that the Philippines and Australia held the Defense Ministers' Meeting and issued a joint statement, expressing "serious concern" over recent actions taken by the China Coast Guard at Ren'ai Jiao. In the statement, they also urged all parties to operate "professionally and safely". What's your comment?

Chen Xi: We firmly oppose the unfounded accusations and smears against China made by the Philippines and Australia. Regarding the Philippine side's deliberate provocations and attacks on Chinese personnel at Ren'ai Jiao, the China Coast Guard has already issued a statement and released on-site evidence. The countermeasures taken by the Chinese side were necessary, professional, restrained, and beyond reproach.

Chen Xi: We firmly oppose the unfounded accusations and smears made by the Philippines and Australia against China. Regarding the Philippine side's deliberate provocations and attacks on the Chinese personnel at Ren'ai Jiao, the China Coast Guard has issued a statement and released evidence. The Chinese side took necessary countermeasures, which were professional, restrained and beyond reproach.

It must be emphasized that Ren'ai Jiao is part of China's Nansha Qundao (南沙群岛) and is inherent territory of China. Whatever the Philippine side says or does cannot change this fact. What the Philippine side should do is to remove the illegally grounded Vessel No. 57 as soon as possible. The Chinese side will continue to conduct rights-protection and law-enforcement operations (维权执法行动), resolutely thwart all violations and provocations, and safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. We urge the relevant countries to stop hyping and sensationalizing (渲染炒作), provoking confrontation, and undermining regional peace and stability.

It must be emphasized that Ren'ai Jiao is part of China's Nansha Qundao and an inherent territory of China. Whatever the Philippine side says or does cannot change this fact. What the Philippine side should do is to remove the illegally grounded warship BRP Sierra Madre (LT-57) as soon as possible. The Chinese side will continue to conduct rights-protection and law enforcement activities to thwart any violations or provocations and safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. We urge relevant countries to stop peddling false narratives, provoking confrontation and undermining regional peace and stability.

Original Chinese

国防部：中方将继续在仁爱礁附近海域开展维权执法行动 MND: The Chinese Side Will Continue to Conduct Rights-protection and Law-enforcement Operations in the Waters Adjacent to Ren'ai Jiao 8月14日下午，国防部新闻发言人陈曦大校就近期涉军问题发布消息。记者：据报道，菲律宾和澳大利亚近期举行防长会并发表联合声明，对中国海警近期位仁爱礁采取的行动表达“严重关切”，敦促各方“专业、安全地”开展行动。请问有何评论？ Question:It's reported that the Philippines and Australia held the Defense Ministers' Meeting and issued a joint statement, expressing "serious concern" over recent actions taken by the China Coast Guard at Ren'ai Jiao. In the statement, they also urged all parties to operate "professionally and safely". What's your comment? 陈曦：我们坚决反对菲澳对中方的无端指责和攻击抹黑。关于菲方在仁爱礁蓄意挑衅、袭击中方人员一事，中国海警已经发布了消息，并公布了现场证据。中方采取必要应对措施，专业克制、无可非议。 Chen Xi:We firmly oppose the unfounded accusations and smears made by the Philippines and Australia against China. Regarding the Philippine side's deliberate provocations and attacks on the Chinese personnel at Ren'ai Jiao, the China Coast Guard has issued a statement and released evidence. The Chinese side took necessary countermeasures, which were professional, restrained and beyond reproach. 需要强调的是，仁爱礁是中国南沙群岛的一部分，是中国固有领土，菲方不管说什么、做什么都改变不了这一事实。菲方应该做的就是尽快拖走非法“坐滩”的57号舰。中方将继续开展维权执法行动，坚决挫败一切侵权挑衅，维护国家领土主权和海洋权益。我们敦促有关国家停止渲染炒作、挑动对抗，停止损害地区和平稳定。 It must be emphasized that Ren'ai Jiao is part of China's Nansha Qundao and an inherent territory of China. Whatever the Philippine side says or does cannot change this fact. What the Philippine side should do is to remove the illegally grounded warship BRP Sierra Madre (LT-57) as soon as possible. The Chinese side will continue to conduct rights-protection and law enforcement activities to thwart any violations or provocations and safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. We urge relevant countries to stop peddling false narratives, provoking confrontation and undermining regional peace and stability.