Beijing tells Washington: Keep out of South China Sea | ABS-CBN

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Beijing tells Washington: Keep out of South China Sea

Beijing tells Washington: Keep out of South China Sea

Don Tagala,

ABS-CBN News

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Stay out of the South China Sea issue.

That was the response of Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying to United States President Donald Trump's position on the territorial disputes in the region.

“The US is not a state directly involved in the South China Sea issue, and China urges the US side to respect facts, and speak and act with caution, so as not to impair peace and stability in the South China Sea region,” she said.

In his first official media briefing on Monday, US Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the US will defend its interests in the South China Sea.

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“So it’s a question of . . . if those islands are in fact in international waters, and not part of China proper, then yeah, we’re going to make sure that we defend international territories from being taken over by one country,” Spicer commented.

In response to the Americans' stance, Chunying said in a statement: “China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and their adjacent waters. China firmly upholds its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea.

“The US is not a state directly involved in the South China Sea issue.”

Chunying said on Tuesday that China has indisputable sovereignty over the disputed territories, and will uphold its territorial rights and interests in the sea.

The South China Sea issue came up in Monday’s press briefing, because back on January 11, Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson said that China should not be allowed access to the disputed islands in the region.

Beijing responded by saying that the US would need to “wage war” to stop China from the island territories, where it has reportedly built military-grade airstrips and facilities.

Trump’s tough stance on China also comes at a time when the Philippines is strengthening its relations with Beijing.

A high-level delegation of the Philippine government traveled to China on Monday, including Philippine ambassador to China, Jose Santiago “Chito” Santa Romana.

“The basic thrust is this: One is to improve the friendship and cooperation between the two countries — and particularly, to push forward the economic cooperation,” said Santa Romana.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez said: “So we are restarting the relationship with China, and we have to intensify really our coordination in the beginning.”

Perfecto Yasay, the secretary of foreign affairs, said the Philippines quietly sent a protest note to the Chinese embassy last December, over defense facilities built on man-made islands in the South China Sea.

Beijing remains mum over the note.

The challenge the Duterte administration is facing now is how to tread a delicate balance between asserting its sovereignty over the disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea — while improving ties with China at the same time — and rebooting Philippine-US relations under Trump.

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Biden thanks Black Americans for their support

Biden thanks Black Americans for their support

Reuters

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During an event to mark Black History Month on Tuesday, US President Joe Biden told the audience at the White House he expects to be back next year celebrating the date, hinting at a successful re-election campaign.

Biden thanked the Black Community for their support and called on voters to choose honesty, decency, dignity, and respect.

On Saturday, Biden won the South Carolina Democratic primary - the first officially sanctioned race of the party's nominating season.

While Biden, 81, faced little opposition, the vote was being closely watched amid concerns about his popularity, especially among Black voters.

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Four years ago, it was South Carolina's Black vote in the state's primary that helped ignite Biden's campaign and ultimately propel him to the White House.

(Production: Gerardo Gomez) 

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