BEIJING, August 28. /TASS/. China has urged the US to respect the efforts of other countries to maintain peace in the South China Sea and refrain from actions that could destabilize the region, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Monday.
"China calls on the US to respect the [People’s Republic of China]'s territorial sovereignty, its maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, and the efforts of regional countries to maintain peace and stability. [China] calls on the US to stop all actions and rhetoric that do not promote peace in the region," the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said during a briefing.
Earlier, the commander of the US Navy's 7th Fleet, Vice Admiral Carl Thomas, said in an interview with Reuters that the US military intends to support the Philippines given the presence of "common challenges" in the South China Sea.
The Philippine Coast Guard reported on August 6 that a Chinese Coast Guard ship used water cannons while maneuvering dangerously close to Philippine ships in a disputed reef area of the South China Sea. The incident occurred when the Philippine Coast Guard vessels were escorting ships carrying supplies for the country's military personnel stationed near the disputed territory.
In 1999, Philippine authorities purposefully grounded the Sierra Madre, a World War II-era warship, in the disputed reef area in the South China Sea to monitor China's activities in the region. The grounded vessel is continuously manned by a small contingent of Philippine military personnel. Beijing has repeatedly demanded the removal of the ship and threatened to tow it away on its own.
In early August, Beijing demanded that Washington stop sowing discord in the region under the pretext of supporting the Philippines in incidents in the South China Sea.
.