Beijing will not weaken its resolve to protect its territory sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, a spokesperson from the country's foreign ministry said on Monday (December 25).

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However, foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China was ready to "work with the Philippines to properly handle maritime issues through negotiation and consultation".

"Firstly, China will not weaken in its resolve to protect its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. For some time, the Philippines has been making provocations on Renai Reef and other issues, and drawing forces outside the region into those issues. China is compelled under those circumstances to take necessary measures to firmly respond to it. That said, China’s door of dialogue remains open. We are ready to work with the Philippines to properly handle maritime issues through negotiation and consultation. We hope the Philippines will step back from the brink and stop heading further down the wrong course at once."

The remarks followed a commentary published by Chinese state media on Monday which said the Philippines had relied on U.S. support to continually provoke China, with such "extremely dangerous" behaviour seriously harming regional peace and stability,

Tensions between Beijing and Manila have heightened in recent months as both sides trade accusations over a spate of run-ins in the South China Sea, including charges that China rammed a ship this month carrying the Philippine armed forces chief of staff.

(Production: Xiaoyu Yin)