Britain should respect Chinese territory in South China Sea, Wang Yi tells Jeremy Hunt
British warship HMS Albion sails close to disputed Paracel Islands, provoking exchange between the two countries’ foreign ministers at UN meeting
China has asked Britain to respect its territorial integrity and not to risk the trust between the two nations after a British warship conducted a freedom-of-navigation exercise in the South China Sea.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the request during a meeting with British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday.
British warship HMS Albion sailed close to the disputed Paracel Islands – controlled by Beijing but also claimed by Taipei and Hanoi – on August 31, while en route to Vietnam from Japan.
Parts of the South China Sea are claimed by Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, as well as by China.
China’s neighbours, and the United States, have expressed concerns over Beijing’s build-up of military facilities on islands in the disputed waters, and have said efforts should be made to ensure freedom of navigation in the area.