(Original title: China does not accept unreasonable accusations and so-called protests from the Philippines)

On September 11, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Sword presided over a routine press conference.

Lin Jian hosts a regular press conference (data map)

Questioned by Reuters reporters, the Philippine Foreign Ministry said it strongly protested China's plan to set up a nature reserve on Huangshan Island, and said the Philippines would formally negotiate on China's so-called "illegal acts".

¡°The establishment of a national nature reserve is within the scope of Chinese sovereignty, aimed at protecting the ecological environment of the island, safeguarding the diversity, stability and sustainability of the natural ecosystem of the island, in accordance with Chinese domestic law and international law, and fully reflects the mission of China as a responsible great power, actively protect the ecological environment and promote the realization of sustainable development.¡±

The extent of the territory of the Philippines has long been determined by a series of international treaties. Yellow Island has never been included. China does not accept the unreasonable accusations and alleged protests of the Philippines, urging the Philippines to effectively stop the infringement provocations and intentional speculation, to avoid adding complications to the situation at sea.

Extended reading

What is the significance of establishing a national nature reserve on Huangyan Island?

On the Yellow Rock Island, which is known as the "Smaragd of the South China Sea", a national nature reserve will be formally established.After the State Council's approval document, the National Forestry Bureau announced the area, scope and functional division of this reserve on the night of 10th, and subsequently will empower ecological governance with science and technology to provide a new paradigm for marine protection to the world.

Functional maps of protected areas

The functional layout shows that the protected area is located in the northeastern direction of the Yellow Island in Susa, Hainan Province, with a lengthy strip distribution, with a total area of 3523.67 hectares. Of which, the orange part marked 1242.55 hectares, belongs to the core area; 2281.12 hectares marked with green, belongs to the experimental area, the main object of protection is the coral reef ecosystem.

According to China's "Regulations on Nature Reserves", the core area is the area with the most complete ecosystem, the richest biodiversity and the most concentrated precious and endangered species in the nature reserve, and it is the "core lifeline" of the nature reserve, emphasizing maintaining the natural native state and strictly prohibiting any interference. The experimental area is usually located on the periphery of the core area, allowing appropriate scientific research, teaching, ecological restoration and other activities to be carried out on the premise of protection.

As part of China's Susa Islands, Yellowstone Island and its surrounding waters have a typical coral reef ecosystem. For example, Yellowstone Island's reef corals, are China's national secondary conservation wildlife, there are 41 species listed in the World Conservation Union's Red List of Endangered Species. However, Yellowstone Island itself is surrounded by two reefs of the geographical characteristics of Yellowstone Lake, also determined its ecological environment is relatively fragile and highly susceptible to global climate and other factors. In addition, some Philippine fishing vessels broke into the illegal operation of the lake, also caused damage to the fragile ecosystem here.

Then, in view of these situations, after the establishment of Huangyan Island National Nature Reserve, how will the ecological governance and management level here be improved?

The Yellow Island.

Wang Xiaoping, expert on Haitian issues, believes that at the end of the ratification document, the State Council specially mentioned "continuously improving the level of construction and management of natural reserves at the national level."This phrase means that the ecological environmental protection work of Huang Yuan Island will be comprehensively upgraded to a project of institutionalization, legalization and normalization, and it is expected to continue through the improvement of regulations and management systems, the strengthening of law enforcement and supervision mechanisms, to lay the long-term foundation for the sustainable use and good governance of Huang Yuan resources.

Wang Xiaoping pointed out at the same time that the core area and the experimental area are delineated in parallel, which is in line with modern marine protection practices. From the technical level, it helps to recover coral reefs, fish and other resources, and helps to form a long-term monitoring sample band. At the same time, from the management level, the "line" drawn on the northeastern side of the island reef is both a clear scope of control by the Chinese side, which helps to reduce the practical arrangements for the friction at the site, and also a full expression of some traditional Haitian governance spirit such as the balance of specialization according to law.

Indeed, the establishment of Huangyan Island National Nature Reserve will not only help to maintain the local ecosystem, but also be an inevitable step for China to promote marine space management and implement scientific sea management and use in accordance with laws and regulations.

As one of China's few exposed islands, Huangshan is China's inherent territory, and the Chinese government has continuously, peacefully and effectively exercised sovereignty and jurisdiction over Huangshan, including ongoing scientific exploration of Huangshan, effective control of the islands and surrounding waters, and active governance of nearby fishing activities, ecological resources and the environment.

In July last year, China carried out its first "comprehensive medical examination" of the ecological environment in the waters of Yellowstone Island and issued a heavy "investigation assessment report". In November last year, China, in accordance with international law such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Law of the People's Republic of China on the territorial seas and adjacent areas, drafted and published the base line of the territorial sea of Yellowstone Island, and deposited relevant statements and sea maps to the United Nations. Since then, the Southern Battle Zone of the Liberation Army and the Chinese Maritime Police have also continued to strengthen patrol alert and law enforcement surveillance, to evacuate the alert from illegal food ships and combat illegal fishing.

Wang Xiaoping, a Haitian expert, believes that the design of the establishment of a national nature reserve is a sign of the further maturity of China's Haitian governance and has a significant strategic significance, on the one hand, can incorporate law enforcement and monitoring activities into the environmental norm, can both reflect sovereign status, and can show the international community a sense of constructivity and responsibility, thus dismantling the intervention of external forces.