China has urged the Philippines to stop "malicious hyping and provocation" on territorial disputes in the South China Sea, says a report in Xinhua.
Earlier, Philippine foreign ministry alleged that China's construction on islands in the South China Sea after the signing of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in 2002 had violated the DOC.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Hua Chunying said: "The Chinese side has more than once enunciated its position on carrying out lawful, reasonable and justified construction activities on relevant maritime features of the Nansha Islands."
The core reason of the two countries' disputes in the South China Sea was the Philippines' illegal occupation of some of China's islands since 1970s, he said.
"The Philippines side has conducted large-scale construction of military and civil facilities including airports, ports and barracks on those islands for many years," Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
According to Hua, the Philippines violated commitment, refused to drag away its stranded warship near the Ren'ai Reef and tried to consolidate it to seize the reef.
In 2013, the Philippines violated its commitment in the DOC and the consensus reached by the two sides by unilaterally filing an arbitration case, Hua said.
According to the basic principle of law "Ex injuria jus non oritur", the Chinese side does not recognize the "status quo" of Philippines' illegal occupation of relevant maritime features of the Nansha Islands, and opposes the unlawful construction carried out by the Philippines on maritime features of China's Nansha Islands.
The Chinese side reaffirms that the Philippines must immediately stop relevant illegal construction activities, and withdraws all personnel and facilities from the islands and reefs of China.
China claims 90 per cent of the South China Sea, which is believed to be rich in oil and gas, with overlapping claims from Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan. Recent satellite images show China has made rapid progress in building an airstrip suitable for military use in the disputed Spratly Islands and may be planning another.
