'CHAOS IN REGION'

China accuses US official of sowing discord between Beijing and Philippines

China has accused US President Donald Trump's top security adviser of sowing discord and creating chaos in the region after making critical remarks on the South China Sea, Taiwan and Hong Kong during his visit to Manila.

Its embassy in Manila called US National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien's remarks "unreasonable," saying he "blatantly accused China on no ground, grossly interfered in China's internal affairs, deliberately exaggerated regional tensions and attempted to sow discord between China and the Philippines."

The Chinese government regards these issues as sensitive and had repeatedly warned other nations to stop meddling and to avoid stoking tensions in the region.

"It shows that his visit to this region is not to promote regional peace and stability, but to create chaos in the region in order to seek selfish interests of the US," the embassy said.

O'Brien, who turned over $18-million worth of missile package on Monday to the Philippines, a long-time defense ally, renewed Washington's pledge to defend Manila if it comes under attack in the disputed South China Sea. The two allies have a 69-year-old Mutual Defense Treaty.

China claims the South China Sea nearly in its entirety and maintains it has historical and indisputable claim over it.

Manila last month announced it will resume oil and gas explorations in the Reed Bank, which is claimed by China, but is within Philippine territory.

"They belong to the Philippine people. They don’t belong to some other country that just because they may be bigger than the Philippines they can come take away and convert the resources of the Philippine people. That’s just wrong,” O’Brien said.

China said the US has no right to intervene in the South China Sea disputes since it has refused to join the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The Philippines and China are signatories to the maritime treaty that defines coastal and maritime boundaries of states.

While it respects and appreciates the Philippines' independent foreign policy, China said it "firmly believes" that the "Philippine government and people will stand on the right side of history."

In a separate teleconference with the media, O'Brien also criticized China for "extinguishing the flame of democracy in Hong Kong" and "attempts to coerce Taiwan."

"There is only one China in the world. Both Taiwan and Hong Kong are inalienable parts of China," the Chinese Embassy said. "We firmly oppose these remarks which are full of Cold War mentality and wantonly incite confrontation."

China also insisted the situation in the South China Sea "remains stable and is improving" despite continued reports of its harassment and provocation of civilian and military vessels from smaller claimants, such as Philippines and Vietnam.

The Philippines and Vietnam both fired off several diplomatic protests against China in recent months to denounce its aggressive actions in the South China Sea.

GMA News Online has already asked the Department of Foreign Affairs and US Embassy for comment as of posting time, but has yet to receive their statements. —KG, GMA News