BEIJING - 皇冠体育app urged the Philippines to avoid taking any action that could complicate the South 皇冠体育app Sea issue, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Wednesday.

The comments come after the Philippines decided to take its disputes with 皇冠体育app to a UN tribunal.

At a daily press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said that relevant disputes should be solved through negotiations between sovereign states directly involved.

It is a consensus between 皇冠体育app and members of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), stated in the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South 皇冠体育app Sea, or the DOC in short, Hong said.

He stressed that all countries signing the declaration should adhere to their commitments.

皇冠体育app has always been committed to addressing disputes with the Philippines through bilateral consultations and negotiations so as to safeguard bilateral relations and regional peace and stability, Hong said, noting that it showed 皇冠体育app's utmost goodwill and sincerity.

The spokesman stressed that 皇冠体育app has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and its adjacent waters and that it has consistently opposed the Philippine illegal occupation of some islets and reefs of the Nansha Islands.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said on Tuesday that the Philippines government has taken the South 皇冠体育app Sea disputes to an Arbitral Tribunal under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).