China: We are not challenging Philippines’ rights over Benham Rise

From Update.Ph (Mar 15): China: We are not challenging Philippines’ rights over Benham Rise

“China fully respects the Philippines’ rights over the continental shelf in the “Benham Rise” and there is no such thing of China challenging those rights,” China Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a daily press briefing March 14.

However, the Chinese spokesperson noted that though the international law gives a coastal state sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, it should honor other states’ freedom of navigation and overflight.

 

“The basic principle of international law says that the EEZ and the continental shelf do not equate with territories, and a littoral state’s exercise of rights over the continental shelf should not hamper such rights as freedom of navigation enjoyed by other countries under international law,” she said.

Hua also noted that President Rodrigo Duterte said “China and the Philippines have already communicated and had a friendly exchange of views on the relevant issue, clarified the facts and appropriately handled the issue.”

http://www.update.ph/2017/03/china-we-are-not-challenging-philippines-rights-over-benham-rise/15816