According to media reports, the Philippine defense secretary recently visited Zhongye Dao to attend activities marking a decade since the “South China Sea arbitration award”. At a press conference on July 17, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense was asked to comment on the matter.

"China has indisputable sovereignty over Nansha Qundao and its adjacent waters, including Zhongye Dao," said Jiang Bin.

Jiang said the Philippine defense secretary, who has been sanctioned by China, was attempting to project a tough stance toward China by staging political shows and stoking nationalist sentiment. Such actions, he added, would ultimately undermine the fundamental interests of the Philippines and its people.

The "arbitration" is, from beginning to end, a political farce masqueraded as a legal process, and the so-called award carries no legal force in any sense. The Chinese side does not accept nor recognize the award. We do not accept any claims or actions based on it. No matter how certain individuals in the Philippines perform, they can never distort the historical and legal fact that relevant islands and reefs belong to China, and can never shake the firm determination of the Chinese military to defend China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, said Jiang Bin.