“China seems determined to unilaterally assert and act on territorial claims in the South China Sea that several countries in the region dispute”, he said in his address at the Pacific Council on International Policy in Los Angeles.
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In the maritime security statement, which did not specifically single out China, the ministers also stressed the importance of the “peaceful management and settlement of maritime disputes” through “internationally recognized legal dispute settlement mechanisms, including arbitration” – a clear jab at Beijing and its pending case with the Philippines.
Carter’s visit comes as the two countries conduct joint military exercises and on the heels of an agreement that allows a US military presence at five Philippine bases, one of which Carter plans to visit on this week’s trip.
“Japan now has created the legal and policy foundation on which to participate in multilateral patrols in the South China Sea”, said Cronin.
Satellite imagery analysis by geopolitical intelligence firm Stratfor shows overall land, building and military expansion by China on Woody Island in the South China Sea. “The two sides are still talking about this”, the official told Reuters. The US already has mustered considerable naval firepower with the aircraft carrier, USS John C Stennis, in the South China Sea along with its strike group of accompanying warships.
Meanwhile, the Japanese government is also stepping up by dispatching its JS Ise, a 1 3,950-ton Hyūga-class helicopter destroyer. The G7 comprises of the United States, France, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Japan.
Beijing has built up artificial islands in the South China Sea, some of them equipped with runways 3,000 meters long.
The Group of Seven (G7) group of nations may not benefit “if they are hijacked by selfish interests of certain countries”, China said. China has repeatedly opposed the USA interventions in the South China Sea and called for territorial disputes to be settled through bilateral negotiations. China does not recognise the court’s jurisdiction and has not taken part.
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The Philippines has warned the Chinese activity could be a prelude to Beijing declaring an air defence zone in the area. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims to parts of the waters, through which about $5 trillion in trade is shipped every year. Now Obama is under pressure to escalate the confrontation with Beijing even further. “Up to now, American policy has failed to adapt to the scale and velocity of the challenge we face”. -Filipino military exercises known as Balikatan.
