China slams Germany for 'hyping' regional tensions in Asia

China lashed out at Germany on Monday, warning Berlin against “inciting confrontation and hyping up tensions” after its foreign minister said Beijing was “increasingly aggressive” in the Asia-Pacific region.

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During a visit to Japan, Johann Wadephul said China had made repeated threats to “unilaterally change the status quo and shift borders in its favor”, citing its behavior in the Taiwan Strait and the East and South China Seas.

“Any escalation in this sensitive hub of international trade would have serious consequences for global security and the world economy,” Wadephul said Monday after talks with Japanese counterpart Takeshi Iwaya.

A statement issued on Sunday before Wadephul’s visit to Japan -- and later Indonesia -- said that China was “increasingly asserting its regional supremacy and, in doing so, is also questioning principles of international law.”