Beijing slams trilateral summit, says South China Sea actions ‘lawful’

MANILA, Philippines — Beijing on Friday criticized the US, Japan and the Philippines and defended its actions in the South China Sea (SCS) as “lawful” after US President Joe Biden hosted a trilateral meeting in Washington.

Biden on Thursday pledged to defend the Philippines from any attack in the SCS at the White House summit, which came amid repeated confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels in the disputed waterway that have raised fears of wider conflict.

A joint statement issued by the leaders of the trio of nations voiced “serious concern” over Beijing’s actions in the SCS, slamming its behavior as “dangerous and aggressive.”

Beijing claims almost the entirety of the SCS, brushing aside competing claims from several Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines.

On Friday China hit out at the joint summit in Washington, with foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning saying Beijing “firmly opposes the relevant countries manipulating bloc politics, and firmly opposes any behavior that provokes or lays plans for opposition and hurts other countries’ strategic security and interests.”

“We firmly oppose engaging in closed cliques that exclude others in the region,” Mao told a regular press conference.

“Japan and the Philippines can, of course, develop normal relations with other countries, but they should not invite factional opposition into the region, much less engage in trilateral cooperation at the cost of hurting another country’s interests.

“If these are not wanton smears and attacks on China, what are they?” she said.

“China’s actions in the East China Sea and South China Sea are appropriate and lawful, and beyond reproach,” Mao added.

China has set conditions in exchange for continuing a dialogue with the Philippines to ease tensions in the West Philippine Sea, demanding Manila to tow away the warship BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal as soon as possible, saying Beijing’s position is “clear-cut.”

In a statement, the Chinese embassy in Manila enumerated yesterday China’s demands on the Philippines in handling the current situation at Ayungin Shoal, which China calls Ren’ai Jiao.

By keeping its warship grounded at Ayungin Shoal for decades