Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Guangya summoned the Charge d'affaires of the Philippine embassy to China, Maria Barber, on Wednesday to lodge a stern protest over the approval of the 2009 Baselines Bill by the Philippine congress.

"The congress of the Philippines passed the Baselines Bill yesterday, which usurped China's Huangyan Island and some islands of Nansha Islands as Philippine territory," said Wang.

"The Chinese government expresses its strong dissatisfaction and stern protest over the adoption of the bill that violated China's sovereignty by the Philippine government, in defiance of the grave concern raised by and repeated protests from the Chinese government," said Wang.

"Huangyan Island and Nansha Islands have always been inalienable parts of the Chinese territory," said Wang, adding that China possesses indisputable sovereignty over the Huangyan Island, the Nansha Islands and adjacent waters.

"Territorial sovereignty claims over the Huangyan Island and islands of Nansha Islands by any other country were illegal and invalid," he said.

It is the wish of the Chinese side that the Philippines will take into consideration the bilateral relations, the interests of both peoples and the peace and stability of the South China Sea region, take solid and sufficient measures to stop all the activities that violate China's sovereignty rights, take concrete actions to safeguard the stability of the South China Sea region and ensure the healthy development of bilateral relations, Wang said.

(Xinhua News Agency February 18, 2009)