China reasserted its claim of sovereignty over islets and land features in the West Philippine Sea and asked Manila to stop its activities in the resource-rich waters. “China enjoys sovereignty over Nansha (Spratly) Islands including Zhongye (Pag-Asa) Island and Zhongsha Islands, including Huangyan Island (Panatag Shoal) and their adjacent waters, and exercises jurisdiction in relevant waters,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a regular press conference on Monday. Wang’s statement was in response to a question on what China thinks of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) conducting drills in the West Philippine Sea.

Punongbayan, M., Romero, A., & Felipe, C. S. (2021, April 28). China asks Phl to stop activities, exercises in WPS. The Philippine Star, pp. 1, 2.