„We would like to tell the United States once again that China is standing by, the Chinese People‘s Liberation Army will never sit idly by, and China will take resolute responses and strong countermeasures to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity,“ he said during a regular press briefing.

As to what exactly the measures will be, the world should „wait and see“, he added.

Over the weekend, various nationalistic commentators had alluded to supporting a military response.