China on Thursday repeated its claim over the Spratly Islands after Malacañang slammed the persistent presence of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea. “The Nansha Islands are China’s territory, which is backed by sufficient historical and jurisprudential evidence,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters in Beijing. “For thousands of years, Chinese fishermen have been fishing in these waters in the South China Sea. Their rights should not be challenged.”

Spratly Islands ours—China: But Palace won’t back down on PH own claim. (2019, April 13). Manila Standard, pp. A1, A2.