India has expressed concern on recent territorial stand-off between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea. External Affairs spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin told newsmen in New Delhi on Thursday that New Delhi has asked them to exercise restraint and resolve the issue diplomatically as per international law. He said , the maintenance of peace and security in the region is of vital interest to the international community.

The standoff started on 8th of April when Philippine military forces spotted Chinese fishermen taking marine species from the area. But before a crew from a Philippine Navy ship could make arrests, Chinese ships blocked the vessel's path. China claims sovereignty over the Panatag Shoal, which it refers to as Huangyan Island.

AIR correspondent reports, the standoff is part of a wider territorial dispute in the South China Sea, parts of which are also claimed by Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei. China claims nearly the entire region, which is believed to contain large oil and

natural gas deposits. China has also raised objections to Indian exploration projects in Vietnamese oil blocks, claiming that the territory belonged to it. India has always maintained that its projects were commercial in nature and the territorial disputes should be resolved as per the international laws.