“We are fully capable of and confident in working with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to maintain peace and stability in South China Sea”, he said, adding that China welcomes outside countries to partake in the cause of Asian peace and development.
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“We are committed to a maritime order based on the principles of worldwide law”, Federica Mogherini told a news conference when asked about the dispute.
They include a new long-range bomber, lasers, new systems for electronic warfare and cyberspace, and “a few surprising ones” that Carter said he could not talk about at this time.
I think if you look at Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, the other claimants, they are very happy to see the United States’ flag shown in the region. U.S. officials have repeatedly said the United States would fly and sail anywhere worldwide law allowed. There has never been any problem with the freedom of navigation and overflight. “Singapore is neutral and shares a similar culture with China, which makes Singapore a good mediator in cross-strait affairs and South China Sea issues”.
He noted that China and the region have weathered many crises together, including the Asian financial crisis and the Wenchuan natural disaster. But Carter’s visit drew extra attention because of the ship’s location and the tensions surrounding China’s reclamation work, which Adm. Harry Harris, head of US forces in the Pacific, has likened to building a “great wall of sand” with the potential for confrontations to escalate into armed conflict.
However, somehow this is being reported as if China were threatening to block one of the world’s busiest sea lanes through which about $5 trillion of global trade is being transported and denying the vessels their passage.
As soon as the guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen breached 12-nautical-mile territorial limits around one of China’s man-made islands in the disputed South China Sea last week, a Chinese warship shadowing its movements began demanding answers.
Beijing has rebuked Washington over the patrol while China’s navy commander has warned that a minor incident could spark war in the South China Sea if the United States did not stop its “provocative acts”.
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Additionally, “we’re updating and advancing our operational plans for deterrence and defence given Russia’s changed behaviour”, Carter said.
The move brought angry denunciations from China, which said its sovereignty had been violated, with USA defence officials countering that American ships would continue such sailings.
He reiterated China’s commitment to peaceful partnership with neighbours and said that those who speak of a China threat “do so out of ignorance of China’s past and present, or from misunderstanding or hidden motives”.
“…What we oppose is waving the banner of freedom of navigation to push forward the militarisation of the South China Sea and even provoke and endanger other countries’ sovereignty and security interests”.
Parrikar’s statement at ADMM+ – which consists of eight countries – comes after the United States maneuvered its destroyer USS Lassen in SCS last week inviting a strong protest from China.
He harkened back to the aircraft carrier’s presidential namesake in stressing that the U.S. was in the region to stay, and that China should become “part of the security system of Asia and not to stand apart from it”.
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China and Vietnam agreed to launch an inspection on the waters outside the mouth of the Beibu Gulf in December, said a joint communique released Friday.
