中國要求菲律賓釋放9名被捕漁民

China is demanding that the Philippines release nine Chinese fishermen who were arrested in a part of the South China Sea claimed by both countries.

The fishermen, who were detained in May near the Half Moon Shoal, were fined this week $100,000 each for poaching an endangered species of sea turtle.

China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying on Tuesday urged Manila to "unconditionally release" the boat and the fishermen. Hua said the men and the boat were "illegally seized" by the Philippines, which she said "violated China's sovereignty and rights of administration."

China claims the Half Moon Shoal, along with nearly the rest of the South China Sea.

Earlier this year, the Philippines filed a challenge with a United Nations tribunal over China's maritime claims. Beijing says it does not recognize international arbitration of the dispute and has refused to defend itself or otherwise take part in the proceedings.

Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia all have overlapping territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea.中國要求菲律賓釋放在南中國海有爭議海域被捕的9名中國漁民。

這些人今年5月在半月礁被菲律賓警方逮捕，菲律賓法院這個星期判決他們偷獵珍稀海龜罪名成立，每人罰款大約10萬美元。

中國外交部發言人華春瑩星期二敦促馬尼拉“無條件”釋放這些人員與船隻，並說這些漁民被菲律賓“非法逮捕”，“侵犯了中國的主權和行政管轄權”。

中國宣稱對半月礁以及其他南中國海島嶼擁有主權。

今年稍早，菲律賓就中國的領海聲索向聯合國國際法庭提起訴訟。北京表示，不承認對於海洋主權爭議的國際仲裁，並拒絕辯護或者參與司法過程。

越南、菲律賓、文萊、臺灣、馬來西亞和中國對南中國海所有或部分島嶼宣稱擁有主權。