BEJING (Dispatches) – A spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday that the United States is not a party to South China Sea issues and warned the Philippines that wooing other countries to provoke confrontation will undermine regional stability.
The United States pledged funding of $500 million for the Philippines’ military and coast guard in a big show of support for Manila.
“China has repeatedly stated its position that the United States is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to intervene in maritime issues between the two countries,” said Lin Jian, spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry.
China has also imposed sanctions on U.S. lawmaker Jim McGovern on the grounds of interference in the country’s affairs, freezing assets and barring him from conducting transactions in China, the Chinese foreign ministry said.
The ministry said McGovern has in recent years frequently “engaged in words and deeds that interfere in China’s internal affairs and undermine China’s sovereignty, security and development interests”.
The sanctions, effective July 31, also include restricting visas for him and family.