China Warns Philippines To Be Cautious Over South China Sea Dispute

China has warned the Philippines to exercise caution in its statements and actions over the South China Sea dispute, as tensions between the two countries continue over competing territorial claims. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered the warning during a phone call with Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro on Tuesday night, urging Manila to prevent interference in bilateral relations.

According to China's Foreign Ministry, Wang accused certain Filipino politicians of "malicious interference" in relations between Beijing and Manila. He urged the Philippines to exercise restraint over their statements and maintain a "unified, reasonable voice" in its policy towards China. Wang also cautioned Manila to be careful in its words and actions concerning the South China Sea.

Lazaro described her conversation with Wang as "frank and constructive". In a post on X, she said both sides had stressed the importance of continued diplomatic dialogue and managing differences through mutual respect.

The warning comes after a series of sharp exchanges between the two countries. Philippine Defence Secretary had called China a "troublemaker" in the region. Responding to the remark, China's ambassador to the Philippines said Beijing could easily win if it chose to use force but preferred peace. The comments triggered a strong reaction from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who said the statement sounded like a threat.

China and the Philippines have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, where tensions have escalated in recent years through physical confrontations between sailors and collisions involving naval vessels.

The two foreign ministers also discussed the possibility of restarting long-stalled negotiations on joint oil and gas exploration at Reed Bank. The offshore area is claimed by both countries but lies within the Philippines' 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ), where Manila has rights to explore and exploit natural resources under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Philippine exploration efforts have remained stalled for years due to China's opposition. The territorial dispute also involves Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan, while the South China Sea remains a major global shipping route.