China defends sweeping maritime claims after U.S. criticism
The Hindu
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin called the State Department report “Limits in the Seas” an attempt to “distort international law, confuse the public, sow discord and disrupt the regional situation”
China on January 13 defended its “historical rights” to virtually the entire South China Sea, following a new U.S. government report saying Beijing’s claims are almost entirely invalid.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin called the State Department report “Limits in the Seas”, issued this month, an attempt to “distort international law, confuse the public, sow discord and disrupt the regional situation”.
“China has historical rights in the South China Sea. China’s sovereignty and related rights and interests in the South China Sea have been established in a long period of history and are consistent with international law,” Mr. Wang said.