Spokesperson
Hua Chunying said at a routine press briefing that the U.S. side should
clarify relevant remarks.
According to a Reuters report, a U.S. official said on Tuesday the Pentagon
is considering sending U.S. military aircraft and ships to "assert
freedom of navigation" around Chinese-made artificial islands in
the South China Sea.
China has always advocated freedom of navigation in the South China
Sea, Hua said. "But freedom of navigation does not give one country's
military aircraft and ships free access to another country's territorial
waters and airspace."
China will resolutely safeguard its territorial sovereignty, she said,
urging the U.S. side not to take any risks or make any provocations
so as to maintain regional peace and stability. |