Beijing slams Washington’s South China Sea sanctionsAFP, BEIJINGBeijing yesterday slammed Washington’s “tyrannical logic” over the latest US sanctions targeting Chinese expansionism in the South China Sea, worsening tensions between the two superpowers. China has aggressively pursued its territorial claims in the South China Sea, building small shoals and reefs into military bases with airstrips and port facilities. A handout provided by the US Navy shows sailors observing aircraft carrier the USS Ronald Reagan from the USS Nimitz as their carrier strike groups conduct joint operations in the South China Sea on July 6. Photo: EPA-EFE / Seaman Dalton ReidheadThe US on Wednesday announced sanctions on two dozen Chinese companies and associated unnamed officials for taking part in building artificial islands in disputed waters. In July, the US formally declared Beijing’s pursuit of territory and resources in the South China Sea as illegal, explicitly backing the territorial claims of Taiwan and other Southeast Asian countries against China’s.

Source: Taipei Times August 27, 2020 15:56 UTC