China asks Quad to stop meddling in maritime affairs in its neighbourhood

China connected Wednesday (May 27, 2026) reacted powerfully to the Quad Ministerial meeting, which voiced superior concerns implicit the concern successful the East and South China Sea, saying it should halt meddling successful maritime affairs successful its neighbourhood.

The concern successful the East China Sea and the South China Sea is mostly stable, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a media briefing present portion responding to a question connected the Quad gathering successful Delhi.

Foreign Ministers of Quad countries, comprising the U.S., India, Japan and Australia, explicitly voiced superior concerns implicit the concern successful the East and South China Sea connected Tuesday (May 26) and denounced coercive actions threatening determination bid and stability, without straight naming China.

"Certain countries should halt meddling successful maritime affairs successful China's neighbourhood and earnestly respect determination countries’ efforts to safeguard bid and stability," Ms. Mao said.

"Those who effort to spot up tiny groupings, hype up tensions and stoke confrontation volition find nary support," she added.

China claims astir of the South China Sea arsenic its own, portion the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan person counterclaims.

In the East China Sea, Beijing has a maritime quality with Tokyo implicit the uninhabited islets called Senkakus, controlled by Japan. China calls them the Diaoyu Islands.

The Quad gathering was chaired by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and attended by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.

Ms. Mao connected Tuesday (May 26) reiterated China’s absorption to the Quad, saying that Beijing is opposed to the enactment of exclusive groupings and engaging successful bloc confrontation.

“Cooperation betwixt countries should beryllium conducive to determination peace, stableness and prosperity, and not people immoderate 3rd party,” Ms. Mao said.

“We reason forming exclusive groupings oregon engaging successful bloc confrontation," she said.

China has been opposing the Quad alliance, terming it arsenic Asian NATO aimed astatine containing its rise.