China Warns South Korea to Stay Out of South China Sea Dispute

Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, strongly protested against South Korea’s comments on the South China Sea issue./Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a regular briefing on the afternoon of the 12th, “We have noticed the relevant position expressed by the spokesperson of the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We express serious concern about this.” He added, “The responsibility for the incident lies entirely with the Philippines. South Korea is not a party to the South Sea (South China Sea) issue,” and “In recent years, it has changed its previously maintained cautious neutral position and has repeatedly deviously specified or criticized China to this issue. China has initiated negotiations (protests) and expressed its opposition each time.”

He further emphasized, “I urge South Korea to handle this well. It should not be swept up in the atmosphere and join in the noise. I urge it to avoid increasing unnecessary burdens on China-South Korea relations.” This could be interpreted as a harsh warning to South Korea not to meddle. It is a strong statement that reminds me of the term “Bu Rong Zhi Hui” (not allowing to speak out), which he used not long ago.

In addition to this, Wang responded immediately to a question asking, “If South Korea, Japan, and the United States are all external countries, then which country can mention the South China Sea issue?” by saying, “If external countries sincerely want to maintain the peace and stability of the South Sea, they should support China and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries to agree to negotiations properly.” He added, “They (external countries) should also support the efforts of China and ASEAN countries to maintain the peace and stability of the South Sea jointly.”

Earlier, Lim Soo Suk, spokesperson for the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a regular briefing on the 7th in response to reporters asking about the situation in the South China Sea, “We deeply worry about the dangerous situation where Chinese and Philippine ships collide in the South China Sea and water cannons are used against Philippine ships. This situation threatens the crew’s safety and escalates tensions in the South China Sea.” Considering China’s consistent stance toward the United States and others, it seems reasonable to assume that they told South Korea not to speak out.