Beijing, Mar 1 (IANS) Chinese government has said it will never trade off its sovereignty and territory.
The government’s reaction from Chinese foreign ministry came in the light of a Philippines media report which claimed that by promising to provide certain benefits, China had tried to persuade the Philippines not to submit the South China Sea dispute to the international court of justice, Xinhua reported.
“The report is totally groundless,” Xinhua quoted ministry’s spokesperson Qin Gang as saying during a daily press briefing.
The Chinese government’s determination to safeguard territorial sovereignty and maritime interests is unswerving, Qin said, adding that China firmly opposes and will never accept the Philippines filing the South China Sea dispute for international arbitration.
–Indo-Asian News Serivce
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