FM Spox Warns US On Taiwan Pres Meeting, Speaks On Other Geopol Issues

MNI (London) - Wires carrying comments from the Chinese Foreign Ministry on a number of different geopolitical topics.

• Regarding Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's planned meeting with Speaker of the US House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) in California. States that 'China firmly opposes US' arrangement for the trip, any meeting between her and McCarthy, any meeting between her and McCarthy seriously contravenes one-China principle. Adds 'We urge US not to arrange any contact between Tsai and political figures....China will closely monitor situation as it develops and resolutely defend sovereignty and territorial integrity.
• Following the Chinese renaming of 11 places in the contested Arunachal Pradesh region of India (claimed by China as South Tibet), foreign ministry states that the region is Chinese territory. Says that 'Chinese gov't standardised treatment of some places of China's South Tibet region, this is within sovereign affairs of China.
• Regarding tensions with Malaysia over maritime borders in the South China Sea, FM spox states that 'China would like to work with Malaysia to handle differences through dialogue and consultation appropriately.' This follows a warning of protest note issued by Kuala Lumpur if any 'collisions' with Chinese vessels around a Petronas exploration project occur.
• On the Philippines' gov't deciding on four more military bases that the US will have access to, Chinese foreign ministry states that 'US has been strengthening its military deployment in the region, driven by a zero-sum mentality...this would only lead to more tension and less peace and stability in the region.'