Countries outside the region should respect the efforts of China and other regional countries to properly handle maritime disputes and safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea

China on Saturday said countries not directly involved in the maritime dispute it had in the South China Sea should “respect” efforts by Beijing and its neighbors to peacefully settle the conflict by themselves but it also reiterated its expansive claims over the vast ocean.

China was reacting to recent remarks made by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken rejecting China’s claims in the South China Sea beyond what is allowed under international law.

“China hopes countries outside the region will duly respect the efforts of China and other regional countries to properly handle maritime disputes and safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea,” the Chinese Embassy in Manila said in a statement on its Facebook page.