BEIJING— China firmly opposes any country citing bilateral treaties to interfere in the South China Sea and undermine China’s territorial interests and rights, the foreign ministry said on Thursday.
“The South China Sea is home to all regional countries, and should not be a hunting ground for external forces,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular briefing when asked about a U.S. move to reaffirm its decades-old security alliance with the Philippines.
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—Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Editing by Andrew Heavens