China warns against maritime ‘camp’ confrontations but stops short of naming US

China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, said maritime disputes should be resolved through talks and warned against “camp” confrontations, but stopped short of naming the United States, days before an expected meeting between the countries’ leaders.
The Philippines, Japan and the United States have complained about what they say is growing Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. Beijing says most of the region is part of its territory, a claim that is hotly disputed by several littoral nations.
Last month, China and the Philippines traded barbs over a collision in the South China Sea as Chinese vessels blocked the passage of Philippine ships. Beijing said the vessels were “trespassing” on Chinese territory when trying to send supplies to Philippine troops stationed on a disputed shoal, which lies in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
The tense encounters between China and the Philippines at the contested shoal have led Japan to call for trilateral cooperation with the United States on helping Manila bolster its security capabilities.