Trump admin wades into South China Sea dispute

Environmental activists in Manila, Philippines, display placards and mock missiles as they picket the Chinese Consulate to protest alleged military build-up by China on South China Sea. Pic/AP

Washington/Beijing: In a stern warning to China, the US has vowed to "protect its interests" in the disputed South China Sea and defend international territories from being taken over by "one country". This evoked an angry response from Beijing, which claimed "indisputable sovereignty" over the region.

"…it's a question of if those islands are in fact in international waters and not part of China proper, then yes, we're gonna make sure that we defend international territories from being taken over by one country," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said at his first news conference.

China, in response, warned the US that it would not back down over its claims in the South China Sea. "China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and their adjacent waters," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters in Beijing. "The US is not a party to the South China Sea issue," she asserted.