Philippines on China: Judge countries' actions, not words

MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario on Friday denied China's allegations of trouble-making in the maritime region and insisted that its pursuit for arbitration is a peaceful means to settle the row with the Asian giant.

"The Philippines is not the country that has greatly increased its naval and maritime presence in the South China Sea. Nor has it challenged freedom of navigation. Nor has it blockaded nor forcefully intimidated any other country in the South China Sea," Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said in a statement, referring to China's actions in recent years.

"Countries should be judged by their actions, not by their words," Del Rosario added.

In a lengthy statement on Thursday, China accused the Philippines of stirring tension in the South China Sea. China claims 80 percent of the strategic waterway as part of its sovereignty, triggering disputes with neighboring countries including Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines and Thailand.

Read: China's position paper on the sea dispute

The Chinese Embassy in Manila also slammed the Philippines' arbitration case before the UN International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea as an "abuse of process" to gain the sympathy of the international community for its claims.

"By submitting the memorial to the arbitial tribunal, the Philippine side has launched a 'Media Campaign' to smear the Chinese side by playing up the South China Sea issue and the arbitration proceeding. All these willful acts exposed the real motive of the Philippines' pushing for the arbitration proceeding," Embassy spokesman Zhang Hua said.

Del Rosario, meanwhile, said that the foreign affairs department cannot reply in detail to questions about the 10-volume memorial submitted last March 30 before the international court.

However, the bureau reiterated that the arbitration case is a "peaceful, friendly and durable" process under international law.

"By going to arbitration, the Philippines has signaled its fidelity to international law ... With the submission of the Philippine Memorial and with the support of the Filipino people, we are defending what is legitimately and rightfully ours," Del Rorsaio said.

China has rejected the case and refused to participate in the arbitral proceedings, insisted that it has the right to do so.