China’s Defense Ministry responds on the possibility to tow away the Philippine warship from the Ren’ai Reef
By Huang Jin (People’s Daily Online) 13:12, July 01, 2016
Colonel Wu Qian, the Defense Ministry spokesman, speaks during the press conference held Thursday in Beijing. (Li Aiming/ mod.gov.cn)
Wu Qian, the Defense Ministry spokesman says that the PLA has the determination and ability to safeguard sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the country during a press conference held in Thursday afternoon in Beijing.
During the conference, Wu was asked by a reporter that the People’s Daily, official newspaper of the CPC, published a commentary Monday which said that China has the ability to tow away the old warship of the Philippines from the Ren’ai Reef. Will the PLA take the actions after the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) issues the award on July 12 on the South China Sea case?
Wu said that China has indisputable sovereignty of China’s Nansha Islands and their adjacent waters, which the Ren’ai Reef is included. The PLA has the determination and ability to safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.