China hits out at G7 for 'irresponsible remarks' on South China Sea

[Kontinuum]

China has rebuked the powerful G7 group of nations for issuing a communique expressing concern at developments in the South China Sea.

China accused the G7, comprised of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the United States, of "interfering" in South China Sea and East China Sea issues.

The G7's communique - similar to a statement it issued last year - came days after the US Navy conducted its first freedom of navigation patrol in the South China Sea under the Trump presidency, when the USS Dewey on Wednesday came within 12 nautical miles of Mischief Reef, which is claimed by China. The patrol prompted an angry response from China.

On Sunday, China's foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the G7 and "countries outside" should fully respect the efforts made by countries in the region to handle disputes, and stop making irresponsible remarks.

China has claimed the US has no role to play in territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

A week ago, China and the Philippines held the first meeting over the two countries' conflicting claims in the South China Sea, in the same week that ASEAN countries met in China and reportedly agreed to a framework for a draft maritime code of conduct.

The draft has not been publicly released.

Mr Lu said China has been committed to "properly handling disputes" through talks with directly related parties.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/china-hi...28-gwex8u.html

[Noradin]

Well, the Chinese claim is simply unresonalbe to begin with, but since they want to make it anyway they have to call everything else "unresonable", especially everything else that happens to be justified and resonable.

[Ripster42]

China was committed to properly handling disputes until the hague ruled against them.

[Independent voter]

Poor Vietnam.

It seems kind of silly, why antagonize your neighbors when you don't have to?