"We must uphold international fairness and justice. We cannot bow to power politics or bullying," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday. "We will stand united and say no to these backward, regressive actions."

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a press briefing on President Xi Jinping's visit to Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia from Monday to Friday. He emphasized that the visit is timely for strengthening strategic communication between the three countries, as unity is essential to overcoming challenges and responding to future difficulties.