Stop infringements, provocations in South China Sea: Beijing to US

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) – China on Thursday warned the US over its “provocations” in the disputed South China Sea.

“China urges the US to stop infringements and provocations,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a news conference.

His remarks came after the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said it “warned away” an American warship, the USS Curtis Wilbur, after it allegedly “broke into China’s Xisha territorial waters,” Chinese state-run daily Global Times reported.

The Southern Theater Command of the PLA warned the US destroyer that “its behavior severely violated China’s sovereignty and security and undermined South China Sea’s peace and stability.”

“China will continue to take necessary measures to safeguard its national sovereignty and security,” Zhao asserted.

The South China Sea is claimed by China and several other regional countries, and the US’ continuing naval operations in the Taiwan Strait have angered Beijing.

Zhao said China and the Philippines will discuss the South China Sea situation during the sixth meeting of their bilateral consultation mechanism, which was established in 2017, on Friday.

Maritime rescue and security operations, as well as oceanic fishing and ecological protection efforts, are also on the agenda for the virtual meeting, the spokesperson added.

Earlier this month, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte urged China not to use the maritime dispute in the West Philippine Sea to deny Filipino fishermen access to the area.

“There was no quarrel. So just leave the fishermen alone because they have to eat,” Duterte said.

Acknowledging that China had a claim over the entire sea, including the West Philippine Sea, Duterte said that should not mean that his country’s fishermen are deprived of sustenance.