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US-Japan South China Sea statement ‘attacks and smears China' - Beijing
China continues to claim nearly the entire South China Sea, despite a 2016 ruling rejecting its claims. After a meeting in Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba issued a joint statement opposing China’s actions in the region. In response, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun criticized the statement, calling it interference and escalating tensions. Beijing has recently become more assertive in pressing its claims, which overlap with several Southeast Asian nations.
By Agence France-Presse
Published February 10, 2025 5:00pm
China asserts control over nearly the entire South China Sea, despite a 2016 international ruling that found its claims legally invalid.
Following their meeting in Washington on Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba issued a joint statement condemning China’s "unlawful maritime claims, militarization of reclaimed areas, and provocative actions" in the region.
In response, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun criticized the statement on Monday, calling it an interference in China's internal affairs that smears the country and escalates regional tensions. He added that China had lodged formal protests with both nations.
Recently, Beijing has intensified efforts to assert its territorial claims, which conflict with those of Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Brunei, and the Philippines.
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