The offending statement said New Zealand reaffirmed the decision of an Arbitration Tribunal, convened under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, that there was no legal basis for China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea.
It reiterated the 12 countries’ “strong opposition” to “any destabilising or unilateral actions including by force or coercion that threaten peace and stability in the region”.
Wang said China was “deeply disappointed” that New Zealand joined the statement, saying it “deviates from the understanding reached by our leaders and seriously undermines the foundation of [a] healthy and stable relationship”.
China described the arbitration decision as “illegal”.
“China urges the relevant countries to earnestly respect China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, stop stirring up trouble over the South China Sea issue, and cease undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea,” he said.
The Governments of Australia, Canada, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, New Zealand, the Republic of the Philippines, Romania, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and the United States all signed up to the statement.
Wang noted in his statement that the vast bulk of the world’s nearly 200 states did not sign on to the statement.