China urged the U.S. Senate on Thursday to stop deliberating on a proposal to sanction Chinese individuals and entities for “illegal and dangerous activities” in the South China Sea.
Addressing the media in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said the proposed sanctions legislation violates international law.
U.S. Republican Senator Marco Rubio, who is leading a drive to introduce the legislation, said that a group of Senators would reintroduce the South China Sea and East China Sea Sanctions Bill on Thursday.
“The legislation violates the basic norms of international law and international relations and the Chinese side, of course, firmly objects,” Kang said.
“Construction of reefs on disputed territory -- one of the activities cited in the draft legislation – is fully within the scope of China’s sovereign rights,” he said, urging the U.S. not to proceed with deliberation on the legislation “in order not to bring new disruption to China-U.S. relations”.
