International News

BEIJING, Aug 11 (APP): China on Friday strongly urged the US to respect
its sovereignty and security interest, regional countries’ concerted efforts to uphold peace and stability in South China Sea and refrain from any further action detrimental to the China-US mutual trust and regional stability.
“We strongly urge the US side to faithfully respect China’s sovereignty
and security interests, as well as the regional countries’ concerted efforts to uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea, play a constructive role for this aim, and refrain from any further action that is detrimental to the China-US mutual trust and regional stability,” Spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry, Gen Shuang said in a statement issued here.
In his remarks on the US Warship’s unauthorized entry into the
neighboring watrs of relevant islands and reefs of China’s Nansha Qundao, he said the other day, USS John S McCain entered the neighboring waters of relevant islands and reefs of China’s Nansha Qundao without the permission of the Chinese government and carried out the so-called “freedom of navigation operation”.
The Chinese armed forces immediately sent naval ships to identify and
verify the US warship according to law and warn it to leave, he added.
The spokesperson said China has indisputable sovereignty over
Nansha Qundao and its adjacent waters, adding, the relevant acts of the US warship violated Chinese laws and international law, severely undermined China’s sovereignty and security, and seriously endangered the life safety of the frontline personnel from both sides.
The Chinese side is strongly dissatisfied with this and will lodge
solemn representations to the US side, he said.
Geng Shuang said for some time, with the concerted efforts of China and
ASEAN countries, the situation in the South China Sea has cooled down and deescalated and continuously taken a positive trend.
In particular, the China-ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in the
Philippines several days ago unanimously adopted the Framework of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC).
Against this backdrop, certain non-regional forces have moved against
the general trend and continued to make provocations and troubles under the pretext of “freedom of navigation” with an attempt to disturb the current hard-won sound situation.
He said this has clearly manifested who is exactly the one that does not
want to see the sustained stability in the South China Sea, and who serves the biggest factor in the “militarization” of the South China Sea.
China has been unswervingly determined to safeguard its territorial
sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea, he said and added, the provocation by the US side has compelled the Chinese side to take measures to further enhance its capability to defend its territory.