China Coast Guard patrols around Huangyan Dao

The China Coast Guard (CCG) conducted law-enforcement patrols in the territorial sea of the Huangyan Dao and its surrounding areas on Friday.

Such patrols are an effective countermeasure against the Philippines' violations and provocative acts, the CCG said.

The CCG has enhanced law enforcement patrols in the territorial sea of Huangyan Dao and its surrounding areas since October, and handled ships engaged in illegal rights-violating activities in accordance with laws and regulations during the patrols, the CCG said.

The patrols are meant to further strengthen the management of relevant waters and resolutely safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, the CCG said.

China is willing to work with the international community to build a peaceful, safe, open and cooperative outer space and let outer space exploration outcomes benefit all humanity, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun at a press briefing in Beijing on Friday.

Guo made the statement in response to a question on the resolution approved by the Disarmament and International Security Committee (First Committee) of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly on "further practical measures for the prevention of an arms race in outer space" and "no first placement of weapons in outer space."

"China always advocates peaceful use of outer space and safeguarding it security, and has promoted the building of a community with a shared future for humanity in outer space. Since 2017, China and relevant countries have jointly proposed the two resolutions on 'further practical measures for the prevention of an arms race in outer space' and 'no first placement of weapons in outer space' every year to the First Committee of UNGA session, firmly opposing weaponization of outer space and arms race in there, calling for formulating international legal instruments through negotiations, so as to maintain lasting peace and common security in outer space and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity in outer space," Guo said.

"The First Committee of the 81st UNGA session once again adopted the two resolutions with a high number of votes. It marks the 10th consecutive year the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity has been included in UNGA resolutions on outer space. This fully indicates that the vision goes the trend of the times, meets the common aspiration of the international community, and has become an international public good of major hallmark significance in the world today," he said.

"The document of China's Position on Strengthening Outer Space Governance issued not long ago comes down with the vision in one line. China is willing to work with the international community to jointly build a peaceful, safe, open and cooperative outer space frontier, and promote that the fruits of outer space explorations benefit all humanity," said Guo.