The scenery of Pattle Island which is part of the Xisha Island, in Sansha city, South China's Hainan province (PHOTO / XINHUA)
 

China is firmly opposed to the US State Department's statement on the South China Sea, which deliberately distorted facts, exaggerate the situation in the region and attempted to sow discord between China and other littoral countries, the Chinese Embassy in the US said. 

The spokesperson of the embassy said that the US accusation is completely unjustified. 

In a statement released on Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that most of China's maritime claims in the South China Sea are "completely unlawful," and accused China of "bullying" Southeast Asian countries.

While firmly safeguarding its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, China has been committed to resolving disputes through negotiation and consultation with the countries directly involved, managing differences through rules and mechanisms, and achieving win-win results through mutually beneficial cooperation, the Chinese spokesperson said.

Within the framework of fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, China and ASEAN countries are advancing the consultation on a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea and are making visible progress.

The US is not directly involved in the disputes, but has kept interfering in the issue. It is flexing its muscles, stirring up tensions and inciting confrontation in the region. It is recklessly infringing on other countries' territorial sea and airspace and throwing its weight around in every sea in the world, the spokesperson said.

We advise the US side to earnestly honor its commitment to not take sides on the issue of territorial sovereignty, respect regional countries' efforts for a peaceful and stable South China Sea and stop its attempts to disrupt and sabotage regional peace and stability, the spokesperson said.

Global Times