Magugunitang sinabi ni Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang na ang nangyari sa Recto Bank ay isa lamang maritime accident.
Sa isang pahayag, sinabi ni Gordon na hindi ang pagiging aksidente o intensyonal ng naganap sa Recto Bank ang isyu kundi ang pag-abandona ng mga Chinese sa mga Filipino sa gitna ng dagat.
“The issue is people are not supposed to be abandoned at sea. Whether it is an accident or intentional collision, is beside the point. The crux of the matter is you left the fishermen in peril of the sea,” ani Gordon.
Iginiit ng senador na sa ilalim ng United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) ay responsibilidad ng sinuman ang sumagip sa anumang insidente sa dagat.
“Under the UNCLOS, it is everybody’s duty to rescue people at sea whether it’s peacetime or wartime regardless of nationality. Whenever there is an incident at sea, the first responsibility is to rescue,” giit ng senador.