WASHINGTON - China has cautioned the United States to be fair and rational in dealing with issues in the Asia-Pacific in order not to undermine peace and stability in the region.
Beijing's admonition came in response to the grim picture painted by a senior State Department official of what he called "an unprecedented spike in risky activity" by Chinese maritime agencies in the East China Sea.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said that the U.S. is not being constructive by "playing up tensions" in the region.
"We urge the U.S. to hold a rational and fair attitude, so as to have a constructive role in the peace and development of the region, and not the opposite," Hong said in a statement late Saturday.
On Wednesday, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel said in a congressional testimony that China's maritime claims had "created uncertainty, insecurity and instability" in the region.
"We remain concerned about the serious downturn in China-Japan relations," Russel said, referring to the situation around the Senkaku or Diaoyu islands being claimed by both China and Japan.
Russel had warned of "serious adverse consequences" if tensions escalate any further, describing in detail how deeply concerned the U.S. government is over China's territorial policies.
These concerns, covering issues on contested territories in the East China Sea and South China Sea, were conveyed to Chinese officials when Russel and Deputy State Secretary William Burns visited Beijing in February.
Hong stressed that China is committed to resolving maritime disputes with "directly concerned parties".