International Desk: Fu Cong, China’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, on Monday, 26 January, strongly refuted remarks made by the U.S. representative concerning the South China Sea during an open debate of the UN Security Council on the rule of international law.

Responding to what he described as unfounded accusations of China’s so-called “expansionist and illegal claims,” Ambassador Fu stated that China enjoys indisputable sovereignty over the islands of the South China Sea and their adjacent waters. He emphasized that China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea are firmly grounded in both historical evidence and international law.

Ambassador Fu further pointed out that the United States is not a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and therefore has no authority to act as a judge or lecture other countries on matters related to the Convention. He accused the U.S. of disregarding facts and stirring up tensions across the globe, including deploying offensive weapons in the South China Sea region. He also criticized repeated intrusions by the United States into China’s territorial waters and airspace, as well as into the waters and airspace surrounding Chinese islands and reefs.

Source: Prema-Alim-Tsai, China Media Group.