South China Sea situation exacerbated by U.S. intervention

A Chinese official on Friday urged the United States to stop fanning flames and instigating confrontations so as to truly safeguard peace and stability of the South China Sea.

Director-General of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of the Foreign Ministry Yang Tao made the remarks when briefing the press on U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to China.

Yang said the recent heating up of the situation in the South China Sea is inseparable from the intervention of the U.S. The U.S. has frequently threatened China with the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty, seriously violating the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and damaging peace and stability in the region.

China has always adhered to international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and no country can attempt to challenge China's legitimate rights and interests with illegal rulings, Yang said.

Speaking of the current situation at the Ren'ai Reef, he said China's sovereignty over the Nansha Islands, including Ren'ai Reef, has sufficient historical and legal basis, and the country's resolve to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity remains unwavering.

Yang denounced the Philippines for breaching its commitments made to China and refusing to tow away its illegally grounded warship at Ren'ai Reef.

Manila also violated the "gentleman's agreement" and internal understandings it reached with Beijing, recklessly making provocations and infringements at sea, he added.

What the Philippines did was in an attempt to conduct large scale repairs and reinforcements to permanently occupy the Ren'ai Reef, Yang said, adding that such actions seriously ran counter to stipulations of Article 5 of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea reached by China and ASEAN countries.