India concerned at China-Philippines stand-off

New Delhi - With Chinese government-controlled media warning of a war against the Philippines over disputes in the South China Sea, India Thursday expressed its "concern"  over the emerging situation over differing territorial claims in the region and urged both nations to exercise restraint.

"India (is) following with concern recent developments involving China and the Philippines in the South China Sea," external affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin posted on his  official Twitter account.

"India urges both countries to exercise restraint and resolve issue diplomatically according to principles of international law," he said in the tweet.

"Maintenance of peace and security in the region is of vital interest to the international community," Akbaruddin added.

The China-Philippines territorial dispute over the Scarborough Shoal, small islands in the South China Sea that both nations claim as their own, has generated over the last month.

A China Daily editorial echoed warnings in the state-run media that China was ready to use military might to crush the Philippines' claim over the shoal.

Since April 8, the two countries have anchored their non-military ships at the shoal as a means to assert their right and sovereignty.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its territorial waters.

India has always maintained that territorial disputes in the South China Sea have to be resolved by the nations in the region diplomatically, though it has asserted that international shipping  and navigation rights in the region should be upheld.