The affairs of Taiwan and Hong Kong are purely the domestic affairs of China, and no foreign forces are allowed to interfere.
Geng was responding to a comment by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who on Wednesday accused Beijing of “exploiting” the world’s current focus on the COVID-19 pandemic to increase pressure on Hong Kong, China’s self-governing territory, which has seen prolonged anti-government protests and riots since last summer.
Read more: ”Stop unlawful claims in South China Sea”; US warns China
The top US diplomat also said that China was exerting military pressure on Taiwan and “bullying” its other neighbors in the South China Sea.
https://twitter.com/my_amigouk/status/1253313699470733312
Geng stressed that any attempt by US politicians to interfere in the region “will not succeed.” He reiterated China’s claim of sovereignty over the contested territorial waters and small islands in the South China Sea.
The Nine-dash line formula followed by China in the South China Sea
China follows the ancient nine-dash line formula in claiming sovereignty over the South China Sea. This formula is in a clash with International Law, that specifies the water body in which China is making an artificial military island as ”international waters”. However, China totally rejects this and stress upon the ancient 9-dash line.
By drawing these lines over the disputed waters, China encircles the ‘international waters’ and claims them their own. This is the major bone of contention between China and the international community.
Territorial claims in SCS is too complex with China claiming most of the SCS by their nine dash line formula . As regards to other states ( MENA region , S Asia ) although right of innocent passage for warships is mentioned in UNCLOS , coastal state is informed of the transit
— Venugopal Vengalil (@vgmenon99) November 28, 2018
The region remains contentious as China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Brunei all have territorial claims in the area.
On Wednesday, the Philippines formally protested to Beijing, accusing a Chinese warship of locking its “fire control radar” on a Philippine Navy vessel.
Read more: No negotiation on South China Sea: Beijing tells Philippines
Earlier this month, Vietnam accused China’s Coast Guard of purposely ramming and sinking one of its fishing boats. The Coast Guard, meanwhile, said that it was the fishing boat that had rammed one of its ships, and that that the Vietnamese crew had been rescued.
RT with additional input from GVS News Desk.