“I would like to address the issue of the unwarranted provocation by the Chinese over the construction on the garrisoned islands of the South China Sea”, General Zulkefli Mohd Zin told participants on the last day of the three-day Xiangshan Forum in Beijing yesterday.
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After the news came out, a certain editorial piece from China’s media outlet The Global Times claimed that the Chinese Military would have to respond through their military force, if, indeed, the US and Australia pursue their navigational activities within the 12 nautical miles of the claimed artificial islands.
8 that USA warships patrolling close to artificial islands built by China in the South China Sea “should not provoke significant reaction from the Chinese”.
“On that issue, we’re not taking sides”, Robb added.
“And we want to make sure that commerce can continue unimpeded, and it’s why we have encouraged those that do have territorial claims in the South China Sea to resolve their differences”, Earnest said.
The South China Sea is a crucial waterway through which more than half of the world’s goods travel. China’s sovereignty and claims of rights over Nansha Islands and their adjacent waters in the South China Sea have been formed over the long course of history and upheld by successive Chinese governments, and have adequate and solid historical and legal basis.
Beijing has said on several occasions that it will not infringe freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, a crucial shipping lane for global trade, but the U.S. insists on provoking China to reassert its dominant status, Global Times said.
In this regard, it said, they reiterated the importance of an expeditious conclusion on a Code of Conduct and full and effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration of the Code of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
The two lighthouses are created to provide route guidance, safety information, maritime search and rescue, disaster relief, environmental protection and navigational security, to improve navigational conditions and reduce risks.
Asked about those reports on Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said the United States would sail or fly wherever worldwide law allows.
Vietnam has repeatedly accused China of ramming the craft as they ply local waters.
Hishammuddin, who is also Asean Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) chairman, said China’s treatment of the 10 Asean member countries proved the entity was highly respected and that there were no geopolitical interests that would affect its interests, sovereignty and dignity. China is mounting an offensive against possible USA freedom of navigation operations.
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Richardson declined to address any details on prospective freedom-of-navigation operations, including whether the U.S would communicate with any of the nations with territorial disputes in the area of its operations. It is headed by President Xi Jinping.
