Beijing on January 13 accused German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock of "making unjustified statements" about China's activities in recent confrontations with Philippine ships in the East Sea.
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| German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. (Source: Imago-Images) |
During Ms. Baerbock's recent visit to the Philippines — the first by a German foreign minister in about a decade — she said that China was threatening freedom of navigation in disputed waters and that the dispute was a matter of concern for Germany and other European countries.
On its Facebook page, the Chinese Embassy in Manila posted: "The recent maritime incidents between China and the Philippines were not caused by Beijing, and China has taken necessary measures to protect its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. No country outside the region has the right to interfere in the maritime disputes between China and the Philippines."
The Chinese Embassy's statement stressed that China should not be blamed for recent incidents and that Beijing "is committed to properly resolving disputes with Manila through dialogue and consultation with the aim of jointly maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea."
The Chinese mission said there had “never been any problem” with freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and blamed “deliberate interference by external forces to sow discord among countries in the region”.
(according to SCMP)
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