Officer says South China Sea issue should not be 'internationalized'

BEIJING - China's defense spokesman said Friday the nation was opposed to "internationalizing" the South China Sea issue, the first time the military had commented on a fermenting dispute in which the United States said issues in the region were in its "national interests".

The spokesman also called on the US to "contribute to bilateral military exchanges". The Pentagon had called for the resumption of stagnated military ties that China cut off in January after the US offered to sell $6.4-billion of arms to Taiwan.