China calls on Britain to respect peace efforts as British fighters plan to fly over South China Sea

Record ID: 75255

  • Title: China calls on Britain to respect peace efforts as British fighters plan to fly over South China Sea
  • Date: 2nd December 2016
  • Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (DECEMBER 2, 2016) (REUTERS) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN GENG SHUANG WALKING IN FOR REGULAR BRIEFING MEDIA SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN GENG SHUANG SAYING: "Currently the situation in the South China Sea is developing day by day in an active and positive direction. We hope that those in question will earnestly respect the efforts countries in the region have been making to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea." BRIEFING IN PROGRESS
  • Embargoed: 17th December 2016 10:02
  • Keywords: China Britain British fighters South China Sea peace efforts dispute
  • Location: BEIJING, CHINA
  • City: BEIJING, CHINA
  • Country: China
  • Reuters ID: LVA0015B6YGXZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: China asked for respect for peace efforts in the South China Sea on Friday (December 2) after Britain's ambassador to the U.S. says British fighter planes visiting Japan will fly over the South China Sea and that Britain will sail aircraft carriers in the Pacific once they are operational in 2020.
    The envoy, Kim Darroch, told a Washington think tank that British Typhoon aircraft currently deployed on a visit to Japan would fly across disputed parts of the South China Sea to assert international overflight rights, but gave no time frame.
    In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said all countries had freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, in accordance with international law, and there was no dispute about that.
    "Currently the situation in the South China Sea is developing day by day in an active and positive direction. We hope that those in question will earnestly respect the efforts countries in the region have been making to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea," he told a daily news briefing.
    Four British fighter planes arrived in Japan in October to take part in exercises with Japanese forces at a time of rising tensions over China's pursuit of disputed territory in East Asia, including the South and East China Sea.
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