Somalilandsun: China on Monday accused the U.S. of flexing its military muscles in the South China Sea by conducting joint exercises with two U.S. aircraft carrier groups in the strategic waterway.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said the exercises were performed “totally out of ulterior motives” and undermined stability in the area.
China claims almost all of the South China Sea and routinely objects to any action by the U.S. military in the region.
Five other governments claim all or part of the sea, through which approximately $5 trillion in goods are shipped every year.
Washington does not officially take a stand on the rival territorial claims in the region, but is closely allied with several of the claimants and insists that the waters and the airspace above be free to all countries.
Zhao also responded to questions about a rare diplomatic victory for Taiwan after it successfully establishes diplomatic relations with the independent region of Somaliland.
Intense pressure from China has reduced self-governing, democratic Taiwan to having just 15 diplomatic allies and being excluded from the United Nations and most other international organizations where Beijing has leverage.
China claims Taiwan as its own territory to be brought under its control by military force if it deems necessary.
Zhao Lijian said that China maintained ties with Somalia and accused Taiwan of “undermining Somali sovereignty and territorial integrity.” Source link
