The People's Liberation Army Navy and the China Coast Guard are not only defenders of national sovereignty but also peace guardians, a Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson said Thursday.

On Jan 22, vessels from the PLA Navy and the coast guard rescued 17 Filipino crew members from waters near China's Huangyan Island. The crew were handed over to the Philippines on Sunday, Jiang Bin, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, said at a regular news briefing.

Jiang criticized certain Philippine Coast Guard spokespersons for using the humanitarian rescue as "a tool for malicious propaganda", calling the move "utterly mean and shameful".

"Life is priceless, and compassion knows no borders," Jiang said. He added that the PLA Navy and the coast guard are not only defenders of China's sovereignty but also regional peace .

"We will continue to fulfill our duty of safeguarding China's maritime territory, make concrete efforts to uphold a maritime community with a shared future, and contribute further to building the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation," Jiang said.

?