Chinese media asks US to 'shut up' over South China Sea dispute

Beijing, Aug 6 (ANI): China's state-run media has asked the United States to 'shut up' and stop meddling in its territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

China slammed a U.S. State Department statement that said Washington was closely monitoring territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

It also said that China's establishment of a military garrison for the area risks "further escalating tensions in the region".

China, however, pointed out that its disputes with Vietnam, the Philippines and other southeast Asian claimants should be settled one-on-one, and bristled at U.S. backing for a multilateral approach to solving the overlapping claims, The Telegraph reports.

"We are entirely entitled to shout at the United States, 'Shut up'," said a commentary in the overseas edition of the People's Daily, an offshoot of the ruling Chinese Communist Party's top newspaper.

"How can meddling by other countries be tolerated in matters that are within the scope of Chinese sovereignty?," it added.

The main, domestic edition of the newspaper was equally harsh, and accused Washington of seeking to open up divisions between China and its Asian neighbours.

"Fanning the flames and provoking division, deliberately creating antagonism with China, is not a new game," the People's Daily domestic edition said.

"But of late Washington has been itching to use this trick," it added. (ANI)