The Chinese embassy in London issued a sharp rebuke on Tuesday, calling on the British government to stop “heightening antagonism” after UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy described China’s actions in the South China Sea as “dangerous and destabilising.”
A spokesperson for the embassy stated in a written statement:
“We urge the UK to stop heightening antagonism and sowing discord, and stop any words and deeds that undermine regional peace and stability.”
The embassy further demanded that Britain “respect China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests” in the disputed waters.
Lammy’s remarks came on Monday during a speech in which he criticized what he called escalatory behavior by China in the South China Sea—an area of strategic and economic importance where Beijing’s expansive territorial claims have long been a source of international tension.
The exchange reflects deepening friction between China and the UK, amid broader geopolitical rivalries over freedom of navigation, security partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, and Western responses to Chinese military assertiveness.
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