China confirms air confrontation with Japan over E China Sea

Dai also said China would not be intimidated by US actions, “not even if the USA sent 10 aircraft carriers to the South China Sea”.

Although Taiwan is not a party to the case, its claims in the South China Sea are similar to China’s, and Itu Aba Island (Taiping Island, 太平島), which is controlled by Taiwan, was brought up in testimony during court hearings.

Reacting to Duterte’s statement, Hong on Wednesday pointed out: “Bilateral and friendly dialogue.is the only right and viable way to properly resolve the dispute between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea”.

“If it’s favorable to us, let’s talk”, the president said in his speech during the 69th anniversary of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) at Clark Air Base Tuesday.

Earlier last month, Japanese officials summoned China’s ambassador to protest the sailing of a Chinese navy ship near the disputed islands.

The Japanese defense ministry said Tuesday that Japan scrambled against Chinese military planes about 200 times in April, May, and June, up more than 80 from past year in the same period. The Chinese government stated that the exercises would take place around the Parcel Islands.

The official China Daily, however, said on Monday that China is ready to negotiate “issues such as joint development and cooperation in scientific research if the new government (in Manila) puts the tribunal’s ruling aside”.

With a so-called “international arbitration” to be decided by the Arbitral Tribunal on the South China Sea, more and more countries around the world have expressed support for China in the arbitration unilaterally initiated by the Philippines and for China’s stance on the South China Sea disputes.

Washington has accused China of “aggressive behavior” in the region, sending warships to enforce what it calls freedom of navigation in worldwide waters.

The tribunal constituted under UN Convention on Law of Seas (UNCLOS) arbitrating on a petition filed by Philippines is set to deliver its verdict on July 12.

The South China Sea issue has becoming increasingly complicated and serious. That’s straining ties with other claimant states, not to mention the USA, which has been the dominant military presence in the region for decades.

“Objectively the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the dispute”, added Sienho Yee, a law professor at the China Institute of Boundary and Ocean Studies at China’s Wuhan University.

The fighters have, “never taken any of the provocative actions as claimed”, he told reporters according to The Japan Times.

Manila has sought to dial down tensions with its powerful neighbor ahead of the decision but resisted pressure to ignore the ruling. “In particular, we have to strictly forbid the Philippines from taking any hostile actions”, said Dai.