Also, tensions are rising in the South China Sea after Beijing deployed anti-aircraft missiles on a disputed island.
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The US and China have agreed on key points related to punishing North Korea over its defiant nuclear test and rocket launch during the Beijing Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s ongoing visit to Washington.
Wang, speaking beside Kerry later in the day, said that “China sees the islands historically as China’s territory” and “has a right to uphold its territorial integrity and lawful and legitimate maritime rights and interests”.
Kerry said he wanted China to end its militarization of the contested islands in the South China Sea. At the same time, he said, “we are committed to resolving the disputes through dialogue and negotiations in a peaceful way”.
U.S. President Barack Obama signed a bill into law last Thursday authorizing Washington to take independent sanctions steps against Pyongyang, including provisions that could affect business activities in China.
Beijing has been angered by air and sea patrols the United States has conducted near islands China claims in the South China Sea.
Kerry, however, did not directly put all the blame to China on what’s happening in the region as other countries, such as the Philippines and Vietnam, have resorted to unilateral measure of reclamation, which according to him, has also contributed to the escalation of the conflict.
“In fact, there has never been such a problem with freedom of navigation in the South China Sea”, Wang said, adding “the situation in the South China Sea is overall stable”.
The photographs come only a week after United States (US) officials said China had deployed surface to air missiles in the Paracel islands further north, and with tensions mounting in the strategically vital region. The fleet, which was spotted in the past few days, was in single digits, the official said.
Wang is scheduled to be in the United States from Tuesday until Thursday.
The two top diplomats both said that sanctions are not the goal but a way to urge North Korea back on track and resume talks on ending its nuclear programme. It lies 250 miles southeast of a major Chinese submarine base on Hainan Island.
“While you’re paying attention to China, have you also paid attention to all the other coastal countries that have occupied China’s islands and reefs in the past decades and deployed radar and advanced weapons there?” she asked. One runway was tested in January, when two commercial airliners landed at Fiery Cross Reef.
First missiles, now fighter jets.
According to Poling, the poles could be a high-frequency radar installation that could enhance China’s monitoring capabilities in the South China Sea.
Soldiers of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy stand guard in the Spratly Islands, known in China as the Nansha Islands, February 10, 2016.
On Tuesday, there were reports that Beijing has now sent J-11 and Xian JH-7 fighter jets to the Paracels.
“But that’s how China will spin it”, he told the New York Times. “This shouldn’t seem provocative”. He said the system would not be needed “if we can get to denuclearization”.
“This would be very important in a Chinese anti-access area denial strategy that sought to reduce the ability of the U.S. to operate freely in the South China Sea, including bringing forces up through the South China Sea in case of any future crisis in North-east Asia”.
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“Oftentimes one can not simply give a definition to it”, he said.
