The United Kingdom should respect China’s interests in the South China Sea and avoid provoking tensions in the region, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Mao Ning said on Tuesday.
On March 10, UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy expressed concerns about the alleged “destabilising’’ activity of China in the South China Sea.
He said that the Philippines often faced challenges related to freedom of navigation.
Lammy said that cooperation of the UK and the Philippines would strengthen security and prosperity of the countries and save free and open navigation in the Indo-Pacific region.
“Being a country that is not part of the region, the UK should respect territorial sovereignty of China, its maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea.
Also avoid provoking contradictions and planting contention over disputes in the region,’’ Mao said.
She described the South China Sea as one of the most secure and free maritime routes in the world today.
The territorial affiliation of several islands in the South China Sea has been the subject of disputes between China and several other Asia-Pacific countries for decades.
Significant oil and gas reserves have been discovered on the continental shelves of those islands, including the Paracel Islands, the Spratly Islands, Thitu Island and Scarborough Shoal.
Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and the Philippines have been part of the disputes.
In July 2016, following a lawsuit filed by the Philippines, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China has no grounds for territorial claims in the South China Sea.
The court had ruled that the islands were not disputed territory and did not constitute an exclusive economic zone but Beijing refused to recognise or accept the ruling.
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