Beijing warned US President Barack Obama to refrain from the country’s involvement and meddling in the affairs of China, particularly in the disputed South China Sea.
This was the response of an infuriated Beijing on Wednesday when the US President challenged China to stop and put an end to its claims in the atolls, islands, the surrounding seas and its artificial island building in the highly disputed region.
Hong Lei, a Beijing’s foreign ministry spokesperson declared and demanded that the US should stay away from the South China Sea issue and refrain from causing tensions . Additionally, China even said that “No country has the right to point fingers at” China’s construction activities”.
It is an open rebuke from China directed to the U.S. President after his meeting with Philippine President Benigno Aquino during the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit in Manila.
In an interview with the press after the meeting, Obama announced that both countries, the U.S. and the Philippines “discussed on the impact of China’s land reclamation and construction activities on regional stability.”
The U.S. President added that they have come to an agreement on the need for “bold steps” in addressing the tensions in the highly disputed area. The settlement should include a “pledge” on stopping the island-building, construction activities including “militarisation” of the constested waters, reefs, shoals and atolls in the South China Sea.
Other APEC-member countries that are claiming portions of the area are the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. Meanwhile, China is claiming sovereignty in almost all of the South China Sea as its territory, even the encroaching into the territorial claims of its Asian neighbours.
China’s building up activities of turning the reefs into artificial islands and military facilities is sending aggressive signals to other countries.
On Wednesday, China’s strong words of rebuttal were addressed to U.S. President Obama “not to get involved in the South China Sea.
