BEIJING — Beijing and Taipei Thursday dismissed Manila's renaming part of the South China Sea as the “West Philippine Sea”, with both saying the designation did not affect their own sovereignty claims. Beijing asserts its sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea, even waters approaching the coasts of other countries, while the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have overlapping claims. On Wednesday Philippines President Benigno Aquino announced that his government had officially dubbed the waters off the country's west coast the “West Philippine Sea” and would register the name with the United Nations. China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters: “The act by the Philippines cannot in the least way change the fact that China has indisputable sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea and adjacent waters. “For a long time the South China Sea has been a geographic name universally accepted by the international community and widely used by countries the world over, including the United Nations and other international organizations,” he added. In Taipei, the foreign ministry said in a statement that Taiwan “does not recognize this unilateral move that will provoke disputes and sternly reaffirms its territorial claim” to the sea. “We urge neighboring countries to exercise self-restraint and avoid any unilateral moves that will affect peace and stability in the region, instead replacing confrontation with dialogue,” it said. Strategically important shipping routes run through the sea and it is thought to harbor large petroleum reserves. The rival claims make the area a potential military flashpoint and earlier this year Chinese and Filipino ships engaged in a stand-off at Scarborough Shoal. The rocky outcrop sits about 230 km from the west coast of the Philippines' main island of Luzon, while the nearest major Chinese landmass is 1,200 km northwest, according to Philippine navy maps. The Philippines defended its latest move, with Aquino's spokesman Edwin Lacierda saying the renaming should not be a “cause of conflict” with its neighbors. “How does one threaten other nations when what we've called the West Philippine Sea covers (our) exclusive economic zone?,” he said. Also Thursday, two Taiwanese coastguard ships set sail for waters near a disputed archipelago in the East China Sea, officials said, amid an ongoing territorial row among Taiwan, China and Japan. The vessels are expected to get around 20 to 30 nautical miles (37 to 56 km) west of the disputed Diaoyu islands to offer round-the-clock protection for Taiwanese fishermen, said a coastguard official. The move came after Japan announced Tuesday that it had completed its planned purchase of the islands, which are known as Senkaku in Japanese and are also claimed by Taiwan and China. Taipei has recalled its envoy to Japan to protest the Japanese move while Beijing has dispatched two patrol ships to assert its sovereignty following the purchase. — Agencies
