Washington [US], January 6 (ANI): The US on Thursday (local time) raised concern over China’s efforts to reclaim and militarize disputed outposts in the South China Sea.
In a US Department of State briefing, Spokesperson Ned Price said, “China’s efforts to reclaim and to militarize disputed outposts in the South China Sea, its willingness to use coercion and intimidation along with other provocative actions undertaken to enforce its expansive and unlawful South China Sea maritime claims, undermine the peace and security of the region. Beijing has offered no coherent legal basis for its expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea.”
He said that China’s activities in the South China Sea are a regular topic of discussion, including with the US allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, and also with the Chinese authorities.
“In the name of enforcing its expansive and unlawful maritime claims in the South China Sea, the PRC, we’ve noted, is interfering in the navigational rights and freedoms that have accrued to all states. We unequivocally reject the PRC’s unlawful maritime claims and any such interference, and we again call on the PRC to conform its maritime claims with international law as reflected in the Law of the Sea Convention, to comply with the July 12th, 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling in the South China Sea arbitration, and to cease its unlawful and provocative actions in the South China Sea,” said Price.
Since 2010, China has been converting uninhabited islets into artificial islets to bring them under UNCLOS. China has been changing the size and structure of the reefs by modifying their physical land features. It has also established airstrips on Parcel and Spratly.
Chinese fishing fleets are engaged in paramilitary work on behalf of the state rather than the commercial enterprise of fishing. The US is very critical of this building of artificial islands and terms these actions of China as building a ‘great wall of sand’.
China lays claim to nearly all of the South China Sea, including the Paracel Islands. However, Taiwan, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam also claim parts of the region, believed to hold valuable oil and gas deposits.
The Paracel Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam and the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei and Philippines, while the Scarborough Shoal is claimed by Philippines, China and Taiwan.
“This is not an effort that we are undertaking ourselves. This is something that we coordinate very closely on with our allies and partners, including with ASEAN, with institutions like – in the context of the East Asia Summit, and on a bilateral basis with our allies and partners to preserve the rule-based – rules-based maritime order,” said Price.
Regarding direct conversations between United States and China since the late December instance of a Chinese J-11 trying to intercept the US aircraft RC-133 in international airspace over the South China Sea, he said, “I understand the Department of Defense has spoken to this, so I would need to refer you to the Department of Defense. They, of course, have their own channels with the PRC, including channels that are geared towards deconfliction, so I would need to refer you to the Department of Defense.”
Earlier, US military has dismissed China’s accusation that its spy plane “engaged in dangerous manoeuvres against a Chinese Navy fighter jet” over the South China Sea on December 21, maintaining that it was the Chinese fighter that nearly resulted in the two aircraft colliding.
Price also declined to divulge Secretary of State, Antony Blinken’s official visit to China this year. He said, “I wouldn’t want to speak to the Secretary’s agenda. Obviously, the – his travel remains several weeks away. I imagine we’ll have more to say on that as the time approaches.” (ANI)
This report is auto-generated from ANI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.