- Title: China says U.S. 'maliciously hyping up' Sout China Sea issue
- Date: 27th August 2019
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (AUGUST 27, 2019) (REUTERS) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN GENG SHUANG ARRIVING AT REGULAR NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS SITTING (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN GENG SHUANG, SAYING: "The United States has recently again and again on this (South China sea) issue made thoughtless remarks and made warrantless criticisms against China. They have completely distorted the facts and confused right from wrong. China resolutely opposes this. China urges the United States to stop this kind of malicious hyping up behaviour, and play a positive and constructive role in regional and international matters." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS EXTERIOR OF FOREIGN MINISTRY BUILDING CHINESE NATIONAL FLAG
- Embargoed: 10th September 2019 11:44
- Keywords: South China Sea Vietnam Chinese foreign ministry Geng Shuang
- Location: BEIJING, CHINA
- City: BEIJING, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA001ATZS8CN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: China accused the United States on Tuesday (August 27) of "maliciously hyping up" the South China Sea situation and making warrantless criticism, after the Pentagon said China was carrying out "coercive interference" in waters claimed by Vietnam.
A Chinese survey vessel on Saturday (August 24) extended its activities to an area closer to Vietnam's coast, ship tracking data showed, after the United States and Australia expressed concern about China's action in the disputed waterway. The Pentagon said China had "resumed its coercive interference in Vietnam's long-standing oil and gas activities in the South China Sea."
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang, referring to the China-Vietnam issue, said the United States had again and again "made thoughtless remarks, made warrantless criticisms against China, completely distorting the facts and confusing right from wrong."
The Haiyang Dizhi 8 vessel first entered Vietnam's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) early last month where it began a weeks-long seismic survey, triggering a stand-off between military and coastguard vessels from Vietnam and China. Vietnam, which has developed increasingly close ties with the United States, given shared concerns about China, has demanded that Beijing removes the vessel.
Vietnam and China have for years been embroiled in a dispute over the potentially energy-rich waters, which are also a busy shipping lane.
(Production: Wang Shubing, Martin Pollard) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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