China has called on the United Kingdom to live up to its promises to remain impartial in a dispute between Beijing and several other countries about the South China Sea region.

AVA- China’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that Chinese State Councilor (foreign minister) Wang Yi had met his British counterpart Jeremy Hunt a day earlier in New York, adding that top diplomats had discussed during the meeting the issue of China’s sovereignty over islands in the South China Sea region.
A statement said that Wang had expressed hope during the meeting that “Britain will truly implement its position of not taking sides in the South China Sea issue, earnestly respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and not do anything to disturb mutual trust between the two countries”.
The ministry said that Wang had reiterated China’s “stern position” on the South China Sea issue, especially after Britain dispatched a warship close to islands controlled by China in the region late last month.
Beijing lodged a strong complaint after the incident and said Britain was engaged in “provocation” in the region.