BEIJING, May 30 -- "We firmly stand against 'willful trespassing' and oppose any country conducting unlawful provocations in the name of 'freedom of navigation' to harm the sovereignty and security of coastal countries and undermine regional peace and stability," said Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, at a regular press conference on Thursday.
The US Department of Defense recently released its Freedom of Navigation Report for Fiscal Year 2023. According to the report, during the period from October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023, the US forces operationally challenged 29 different "excessive maritime claims" advanced by 17 countries and regions including China.
When being asked to share comment on this, the spokesperson pointed out that the so-called "freedom of navigation" is a false narrative. He took the South China Sea, one of the world's freest and safest waters for navigation, as the example, and made it clear that the US repeatedly made an issue of "freedom of navigation" in this area with the true purpose of meddling in regional affairs and maintaining its own hegemony.
Following on, Spokesperson Wu stated that the Chinese side always respects the freedom of navigation and overflight entitled to countries under international law including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), but the freedom of navigation does not mean willful trespassing.
The spokesperson stressed that China firmly stands against "willful trespassing" and opposes any country conducting unlawful provocations in the name of "freedom of navigation" to harm the sovereignty and security of coastal countries and undermine regional peace and stability.
He pointed out that the US likes to choose aggressive and reckless actions over communication when problems occur, and they do need to change this old habit now. "We ask the US side to earnestly respect the sovereignty and security of regional countries, and stop provoking troubles and walking down the wrong path. The Chinese PLA will take resolute measures to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and security and maintain regional peace and stability," added the spokesperson.