US official's remarks 'full of cold war mentality' in visiting Philippines
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The Chinese embassy in the Philippines voiced strong opposition to US national security advisor Robert O'Brien's outrageous statements on the South China Sea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan during his visit to the Philippines, saying he irrationally defamed China and grossly interfered in China’s internal affairs, while intentionally aggravating regional tensions, spurring the divorce of bilateral ties.

"O'Brien's remarks reflected the Cold War mentality and wantonly incited confrontation and antagonism, which showed that his visit is not to promote regional peace and stability but to create chaos in the region and seek the interests of the United States", said the embassy in a statement.

In recent years, out of maintaining regional and global hegemony, the US has directly intervened in China's internal issues such as the South China Sea, and interfered with China's efforts on a peaceful settlement with ASEAN countries, which provoked confrontation among nations.

The United States, which rejected the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, abused the articles of the Convention to infringe upon the maritime rights and interests of other states. It is not a party to the South China Sea issue. However, it dispatched warships and aircraft to the South China Sea for military provocations in a frequent and large-scale manner. The embassy said this proved that the United States is the biggest driving force behind the militarization of the South China Sea and the most dangerous external factor jeopardizing regional peace and stability.

The situation in the South China Sea has overall remained stable and improved, thanks to the joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries. Regional countries have the aspiration and ability to handle the issue properly and achieve long-term stability, development, and prosperity in the area. At the 23rd China-ASEAN leaders' meeting last week, the leaders of China and ASEAN countries made a consensus to strengthen bilateral dialogues and actively promote consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea to maintain peace and stability in the region.

The embassy urged the US to earnestly respect China's maritime rights and territorial sovereignty in the South China Sea, as well as China's joint efforts with ASEAN countries on safeguarding the area, and stop interfering and running amok on the issue.

"Taiwan and Hong Kong are inseparable parts of China’s territory. This is a fact that has been universally acknowledged by the international community. This year, more than 70 countries, including the Philippines, gave at the United Nations Human Rights Council, the General Assembly of the United Nations and other occasions their firm support to China, and oppose other countries's interference in the internal affairs, manifesting the common voice and justice of the international community", the embassy added, exhorting the US to lay more attention to domestic issues  instead of gossiping and pointing at other countries' internal affairs.

(Compiled by Liao Yuecen)