Foreign ministry issues strong condemnation...>

CHINA: Foreign ministry issues strong condemnation of the US Secretary of State

Mike Pompeo's comments on the South China Sea overnight. 

- Pompeo said China had "no legal grounds to unilaterally impose its will on the

region" and that ""The world will not allow Beijing to treat the South China Sea

as its maritime empire."

- Also said most of China's claims to large swathes of the sea are unlawful,

seemingly dismissing the long-held Chinese view that the 'nine-dash line' that

extends far into the sea demarcates China's legitimate maritime border.

- Chinese Foreign Ministry says that China has never sought to build a sea

empire in the South China Sea and that the US statement is untruthful. Also says

that it is the US, not China, that is a troublemaker and undermines regional

safety. 

- South China Sea, given the large number of countries disputing the extent of

each others maritime borders, remains one of the major global flashpoints for

potential great power conflict. US has criticised Chinese 'militarisation' of

tiny Paracel Islands and Spratley Islands in the sea.