BEIJING, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Monday said Nansha Qundao has always been China's territory, noting that China firmly opposes relevant countries' construction activities on islands and reefs they have illegally occupied.
Spokesperson Guo Jiakun's remarks came after a report from a U.S. think tank said that Vietnam has sharply accelerated its island-building efforts this year in the contested islands in the South China Sea, and the latest expansion covers eight reefs that were previously not part of the reclamation efforts of Vietnam, which started in 2021.
"We will do what is necessary to safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests," Guo told a regular press conference.
