China on Wednesday denied it had deployed a spy to the Philippines following the arrest of a Chinese national and two Filipinos in possession of espionage equipment.

In a statement, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded to the Philippines’ claim that a Chinese national had been captured outside an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) site with a vehicle filled with spying and mapping equipment. EDCA sites are Philippine bases that host American military personnel and equipment.

Mao said the Chinese government has always required overseas Chinese citizens to abide by local laws and regulations.

“We urge the Philippines to base [statements] on facts, stop making false claims and hyping up so-called Chinese spies, and effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens in the Philippines,” she said.

Earlier this week, the National Bureau of Investigation presented Deng Yuanqing, a 39-year-old Chinese national, who was allegedly caught with locator and mapping devices that can pinpoint coordinates accurately to up to a centimeter.

He was arrested in Makati City with Filipinos Ronel Jojo Balundo Besa and Jason Amado Fernandez.