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August 28, 2020

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US South China Sea sanctions condemned

Source: Agencies | 00:15 UTC+8 August 28, 2020 | Print Edition

CHINA is firmly opposed to US sanctions against Chinese companies and individuals related to constructions in the South China Sea, and has urged the United States to rectify its mistakes and immediately stop interfering in China’s internal affairs, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said yesterday.

Spokesperson Zhao Lijian was responding to US announcement of sanctions against Chinese companies and individuals related to construction activities in the South China Sea. China’s relevant constructions on its own territory are completely within the scope of its sovereignty and have nothing to do with militarization, he said.

He said it is reasonable, legal and beyond dispute for Chinese companies and individuals to participate in construction in their own country, while the illegal sanctions imposed by the United States on them on such pretext is unreasonable.

US sanctions, which involve typical hegemonic logic and power politics, have blatantly interfered in China’s internal affairs, violated international law and norms governing international relations, Zhao said.

The US Department of Commerce on Wednesday announced penalties against an unspecified number of Chinese officials and 24 companies for their role in “construction and military actions” in the South China Sea. The companies were added to an “entity list” that limits access to US exports without government permission. The Department of State said it would impose visa restrictions on the officials.

“China will take firm measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of its enterprises and individuals,” Zhao said.

A spokesperson for China’s embassy in Washington condemned the US sanctions as “completely unreasonable,” and urged the United States to reverse them.

“(South China Sea islands) is an integral part of China’s territory, and it is fully justified for us to build facilities and deploy necessary defense equipment there,” the spokesperson said.

“The Chinese government has firm determination to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense said China will not dance to the US tune or tolerate its reckless provocations.

Spokesperson Wu Qian urged the two sides to meet each other halfway and strengthen communication in crisis to keep the relationship stable.

Wu called for an open and rational attitude for looking at China’s development, adding that China hopes the US can take practical measures to create a “positive atmosphere” for high-level exchanges between their two militaries.

Wu slammed the recent US provocations in the South China Sea, stressing China is not afraid of such actions.

Earlier this week, a US U-2 reconnaissance aircraft reportedly entered the airspace being used for live-fire exercises by the Northern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.

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