Source: AFP
China on Wednesday warned the United States to stay out of the deepening territorial spat in the South China Sea and accused other countries in the region of provocation, a report said.
Vice foreign minister Cui Tiankai said neighbouring countries, including Vietnam, were responsible for recent incidents in the disputed waters and dismissed calls for Washington to play a greater role in resolving tensions .
“I believe some countries now are playing with fire. And I hope the US won’t be burned by this fire,” Cui was quoted by the Wall Street Journal saying.
Tensions between China and other rival claimants to the strategically vital waters — home to two potentially oil-rich archipelagos, the Paracels and Spratlys — have escalated in recent weeks.
