China told the United States on Friday not to meddle in the affairs of nations involved in the territorial dispute over the South China Sea.
“When you talk about the United States, they are outsiders. We expect outsiders to respect efforts of the regional countries in maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea,” Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian said during an interview over CNN Philippines.
“It’s a regret that we have seen the US meddling vigorously in the South China Sea issue,” he lamented.
The ambassador cited that China has been engaged with the countries involved in the dispute bilaterally and multilaterally including the drafting of the Code of Conduct over the South China Sea.
“The US is trying to make trouble in this process of consultation. We expect all external player to respect that,” Huang said.
The ambassador said he is aware that the US has shown support for member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) exerting their claims over the South China Sea.
“The US has been meddling or invading in the affairs of the South China Sea by showing its muscle,” said Huang, referring to US military presence in the South China Sea.
The ambassador welcomed the decision of President Duterte to ban the Philippine military from joining naval exercises taking place in the South China Sea that is led by the US.
“Since a new administration took office four years ago, our two leaders have agreed on how to handle differences properly, that is, to shelve the differences, put aside the differences, and seeking cooperation and at the same time we work together very closely to maintain the peace and stability in South China Sea,” the ambassador stated.
“So we welcome any positive efforts and positive moves by the government of the Philippines to promote peace and stability in the South China Sea."
Huang said China maintains its position that it does not recognize the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague which recognized the Philippines territorial claims over the South China Sea, which is also called the West Philippine Sea.
“What is arbitration? Arbitration is something agreed by both parties directly concerned and by doing so it can be called arbitration. And that ruling itself it is a ruling without the agreement from the other side. So we might not call it arbitral ruling,” Huang said.
“It is very normal for two neighbors to have differences and we should not allow the differences to become disputes and we should not allow the disputes to become conflicts."