Asked to confirm media reports that the US destroyer approached the disputed islands in the South China Sea, the US defense secretary said, “What you read in the newspaper is accurate and I don’t want to say more than that."
“There have been naval ops in that region and – there will be more…We are doing more at sea. We are doing more in the way of presence. We will fly, sail and operate wherever international law permits and wherever our operational needs require,” Carter said at a hearing.
On Tuesday, media reported that the USS Lassen destroyer had passed the Subi and Mischief reefs as part of a patrol lasting several hours. The Chinese Foreign Ministry claimed that the incident was illegal and a violation of Beijing’s sovereignty.
China has been constructing artificial islands on top of the coral reef habitats of the Spratly Islands, a group of over 750 islands and reefs, over the past few months. Beijing claimed sovereignty over the land and the 12 nautical mile zone surrounding the islands.
The United States has warned that it does not recognize the Chinese claims of sovereignty over the man-made islands, and has repeatedly raised concerns over Beijing’s activities in the region.
(Sputnik)
27/10/15
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- U.S. Navy warship’s patrol in disputed South China Sea draws angry response from Beijing...
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China chastises US for "show of military force" ...
ReplyDeleteA US warship's foray close to islands claimed by China in the South China Sea on Tuesday was "a show of military force intended to militarize" the sea, according to Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun.
China and other countries in the region are negotiating on a code of conduct concerning the South China Sea, and all parties have expressed willingness to commonly safeguard peace in the region, Yang said. In this context, the United States, a party not involved in the local disputes over maritime sovereignty, "sent a warship there to threaten China's national security, severely undermining regional stability."
USS Lassen entered waters near Zhubi Reef without the permission of the Chinese government, which the spokesman said posed a serious threat to China's national security, especially that of the Chinese facilities and staff on the reefs.
Yang denied that China's activity in the South China Sea will restrict freedom of navigation and overflight, saying that many vessels of many nationalities sail through the sea every day.
"The US side has for many years proposed measures to ensure navigation safety of ships and aircraft of all parties, but its warship's operations today resulted in a close encounter between Chinese and US troops, which threatened the safety of staff from both sides and is likely to trigger unexpected incidents. The United States has been very irresponsible," he said.
Its actions have weakened trust and ran counter to the consensus the two global giants have built on fostering a new model of major-country relations, according to the spokesman.
"The US side should respect China's concerns, and solve divergences based on the principles of no conflict, no confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation," Yang urged.
"We will take any measures necessary to safeguard our security," he warned.
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/949394.shtml
China naval chief says minor incident could spark war in South China Sea...
ReplyDeleteChina's naval commander told his U.S. counterpart that a minor incident could spark war in the South China Sea if the United States did not stop its "provocative acts" in the disputed waterway, the Chinese navy said on Friday.
Admiral Wu Shengli made the comments to U.S. chief of naval operations Admiral John Richardson during a video teleconference on Thursday, according to a Chinese naval statement.
The two officers held talks after a U.S. warship sailed within 12 nautical miles of one of Beijing's man-made islands in the contested Spratly archipelago on Tuesday.
China has rebuked Washington over the patrol, the most significant U.S. challenge yet to territorial limits China effectively claims around its seven artificial islands in one of the world's busiest sea lanes.............reuters.com