China urges US, Philippines to 'respect common aspiration' for peace against 'confrontation'

China on Tuesday urged the US and the Philippines to "earnestly respect the common aspiration in the region for peace, development, and stability" amid the "risk of regional military confrontation."

A "certain country is setting up military bases, building up arms and fuel storage, and making combat preparation across the world. This has heightened the risk of regional military confrontation and has triggered high alert among regional countries," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said.

He was responding to a question about reported US plans to build a fuel depot in the Davao region of the Philippines.

"The hard-won overall development and stability in the Asia-Pacific region brooks no disruption from any party. If certain country (Philippines) in the region continues to seek support from external countries regardless of the consequences, it will only backfire," he went on to say.

The world, Guo said, is witnessing intertwined transformation and turbulence, and is "being battered by unilateralism and military bullying."

"We urge the relevant countries to earnestly respect the common aspiration in the region for peace, development, and stability, and do more things conducive to regional peace and stability, rather than undermining them," he said.