BEIJING, May 9 - China's foreign ministry blamed the United States on Friday for stoking tensions in the disputed East Vietnam Sea by encouraging countries to engage in dangerous behaviour, following an uptick in tensions between China and both the Philippines and Vietnam. China this week accused Vietnam of intentionally colliding with its ships in the East Sea after Vietnam asserted that Chinese vessels used water cannon and rammed eight of its vessels at the weekend near an oil rig. The United States has called China's deployment of the rig "provocative and unhelpful" to security in the region, urging restraint on all sides. Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying repeated that the waters the rig was operating in, around the Paracel Islands, were Chinese territory and that no other country had the right to interfere. "It must be pointed out that the recent series of irresponsible and wrong comments from the United States which neglect the facts about the relevant waters have encouraged certain counties' dangerous and provocative behaviour," Hua told a daily news briefing. "We urge the United States to act in accordance with maintaining the broader picture of regional peace and security, and act and speak cautiously on the relevant issue, stop making irresponsible remarks and do more to maintain regional peace and stability," she added. Tensions are also brewing in another part of the sea, with Beijing demanding that the Philippines release a Chinese fishing boat and its crew seized on Tuesday off Half Moon Shoal in Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands. Philippine police said the boat and its crew were seized for hunting sea turtles, which are protected under local laws. Hua said the Philippines' actions were illegal as they had entered Chinese waters to seize the boat and its crew. "We once more demand the Philippines immediately release them unconditionally ... China reserves the right to take further action," she said, without elaborating.
More
Vietnamese violate regulations by using special-use forests to access restricted areas
Though local authorities have signs restricting people from accessing the sites, the situation remains rampant
Read more
Orangutan's use of medicinal plant to treat wound intrigues scientists
In June 2022, a male Sumatran orangutan named Rakus sustained a facial wound below the right eye, apparently during a fight with another male orangutan at the Suaq Balimbing research site, a protected rainforest area in Indonesia. What Rakus did three days later really caught the attention of scientists
2 days agoMichelangelo's David gets spa treatment in Florence
David's bi-monthly cleaning, then, is 'a form of respect, a form of dignity that we want to give to every work'
2 months agoAustralian police shoot boy dead after stabbing with 'hallmarks' of terrorism
There were signs the 16-year-old, armed with a kitchen knife, had been radicalised online
3 hours agoSouth Korea to slap fines on food suppliers for 'shrinkflation'
The rule will take effect in August after a three-month grace period, and violators will be fined 5 million won for their first offence and 10 million won for a second
2 days agoReal Madrid secure LaLiga title after Girona thrash Barcelona 4-2
The result left Carlo Ancelotti's side with an unassailable lead in the standings
9 hours agoHighlights
World’s biggest jeweler Pandora to break ground on $150mn factory in Vietnam
The construction of the new factory is based on a memorandum of understanding signed between Pandora and Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park J.V. Co. Ltd. (VSIP) in May 2022
Photos
Artist paints murals on house to raise awareness of COVID-19 prevention in Hanoi
He drew the virus, vaccine, and earth on the exterior walls of a house
Latest news
World’s biggest jeweler Pandora to break ground on $150mn factory in Vietnam
The construction of the new factory is based on a memorandum of understanding signed between Pandora and Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park J.V. Co. Ltd. (VSIP) in May 2022
Ho Chi Minh City seeks to replant more trees than those leveled for infrastructure projects
The city will prioritize the relocation of trees that are able to be replanted
Ex-chief of Vietnam Government Office arrested for alleged power abuse
Mai Tien Dung, a 64-year-old native of Ha Nam Province, retired in April 2021 after serving as Minister and Chairman of the Vietnam Government Office in the 2016-21 term
Madonna wows Rio with 'Celebration Tour' finale
The show marked the final stop on her 'Celebration Tour' noting her 40 years atop pop charts, in a free event that was estimated to draw upward of 1.5 million fans from across Brazil
Rescuers brave Indonesia volcano eruptions to save pets
More than a dozen animals had been rescued since Friday
Balancing lake in Vietnam’s Binh Dinh hit by mass fish die-off
The number of dead fish which were found floating in the lake kept rising significantly from Friday night to Saturday morning
Honoring Italian founder of SOS Children's Villages Vietnam
He spent decades serving as a wonderful father to the children living in SOS Children's Villages Vietnam
Australian police shoot boy dead after stabbing with 'hallmarks' of terrorism
There were signs the 16-year-old, armed with a kitchen knife, had been radicalised online
Death toll from rains in southern Brazil climbs to 56
74 people were still missing and more than 69,000 had been displaced
Vietnam’s southern, Central Highlands drought likely to end by May
Over the past months, drought conditions and the shortage of fresh water have taken a heavy toll on plenty of provinces across the country