China fires back at US over environment, South China Sea

 U.S.-China friction flared again Monday, with Beijing firing back at accusations by Washington that it is a leing cause of global environmental dam and has reneged on its promise t to militarize South China Sea.

A document issued last week by State Department cited China’s record on issues from greenhouse gas emissions to air and water and soil pollution, illegal logging and wildlife trafficking.

“While Chinese people have suffered worst environmental impacts of its actions, Beijing also threatens global ecomy and global health by unsustainably exploiting natural resources and exporting its willful disregard for environment," document said.

Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus followed that with a statement Sunday saying China has “pursued a reckless and provocative militarization” of disputed outposts in South China Sea’s Spratly Islands, ding that China’s ruling Communist Party “does t hor its words or commitments.”

Foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin responded Monday by asking why United States was withdrawing from Paris agreement on climate change, calling U.S. “biggest destroyer of international environmental cooperation.”

Wang also said U.S. military actions have me it “ biggest threat to peace and stability of South China Sea.”

tring of accusations comes amid disputes over tre, techlogy, Hong Kong and Taiwan, spying accusations against Chinese diplomats and Beijing's assertions of territorial claims in South China Sea and elsewhere that have driven bilateral relationship to its lowest point in deces.

State Department's attack on China's environmental record follows China’s anuncement to United Nations General Assembly last week that it aims to have carbon dioxide emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, a pledge that won applause from environmentalists.

State Department cited China as “ largest emitter of greenhouse gases; largest source of marine debris; worst perpetrators of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; and world’s largest consumer of trafficked wildlife and timber products. “

It singled out leer Xi Jinping's signature “Belt and Ro" global infrastructure building initiative as lacking “clear environmental guidelines, safety standards, and worker protections," and said China is sdling host countries with environmental burdens and leing m away from sustainable development.

“Tragically, Chinese Communist Party represses civil society and a free press, slowing changes that would benefit its citizens and people all over world," State Department document said.

Wang defended China's record on reducing pollution, touting China's promotion of new energy vehicles and creation of new forest cover.

U.S. is “greatest danger to global environment," Wang told reporters at a daily briefing. “We vise U.S. side to stop political manipulation and malicious slander, and to do more practical work and less trouble for global environment."

In her statement, Ortagus cited Xi's pledge during a 2015 visit to White House that “China does t intend to pursue militarization” of Spratly Islands. China's deployment of anti-ship cruise missiles and vanced surveillance capabilities on islands, some of m man-me, and construction of fighter jet hangars and runways showed that it is using such outposts as “platforms of coercion to assert control over waters to which Beijing has lawful maritime claim," Ortagus said.

China claims virtually entire South China Sea for itself and Wang said it was entitled to proceed as it saw fit on islands, especially when it came to exercising its right to self-defense. Infrastructure on islands also benefits world, he said.

“ international community and regional countries must be highly vigilant and resolutely oppose sinister plot of some U.S. warmongers to sow chaos in South China Sea and East Asia," Wang said.