By The South Asia Times

BEIJING — China has rejected Australia's criticism over recent confrontations in the South China Sea, accusing the Philippines of provoking maritime tensions and urging outside countries not to interfere in disputes involving regional claimants, according to remarks published by China's state-run Global Times.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian made the comments after Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong criticized Beijing over a recent confrontation between Chinese and Philippine vessels during ASEAN foreign ministers' meetings.

According to the Global Times, Lin said China had already made its position clear regarding what he described as "malicious attacks" by Philippine personnel against Chinese personnel, while accusing some countries of ignoring Manila's actions and making what he called "groundless accusations" against Beijing.

Lin also criticized repeated references by some governments to the 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling, which invalidated many of China's sweeping maritime claims. Beijing does not recognize the ruling and has consistently rejected its legal validity.

The spokesperson said the overall situation in the South China Sea remained stable due to joint efforts by China and ASEAN member states, but argued that the Philippines' "deliberate infringements and provocations" were the primary cause of recent maritime tensions.

He also said countries that are not directly involved in the territorial disputes "have no right to interfere" in maritime disagreements between claimant states.

According to the report, Lin accused a "small number of countries" of consistently criticizing China whenever incidents occur in the disputed waters, questioning whether their objective is to preserve regional stability or escalate tensions.

China urged the countries concerned to stop what it described as sensationalizing the situation and provoking confrontation, while respecting efforts by regional countries to maintain peace and stability through dialogue.

Lin said Beijing would continue to safeguard what it considers its sovereignty and maritime rights under international law while seeking to manage disputes through consultations with relevant parties.

He added that China remains committed to working with ASEAN countries to fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and advance negotiations on a long-awaited Code of Conduct aimed at preventing conflicts in the disputed waterway.

The South China Sea remains one of Asia's most sensitive flashpoints, with China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei holding overlapping territorial claims. Recent confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels have heightened regional tensions and drawn increased attention from the United States, Australia and other allies, which have called for adherence to international law and freedom of navigation.