China rejects Manila's stake

China rejects Manila's stake

BEIJING (AFP): China dismissed efforts yesterday by the Philippines to assert their claim over Scarborough shoal in the South China Sea as "unacceptable".

"The Philippine side is redoubling its activities on the Huangyan islands (Scarborough shoal). They have even declared administrative rights on the pretext of their 200-mile exclusive economic zone," foreign ministry spokesman Shen Guofang told reporters.

"This is unacceptable to the Chinese people and their government," he said.

Philippine President Fidel Ramos reasserted his country's claim to the islands Wednesday, saying it had "the sovereign right to explore and exploit the resources of the Scarborough shoal".