The explanation provides clear legal basis for China to safeguard maritime order, marine safety and interests, and to exercise integrated management over the country’s jurisdictional seas, it quoted a statement by Supreme People’s Court (SPC) as saying.
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China made solemn representations (diplomatic protests) to Japan over the irresponsible white paper, she said.
The United States says it will continue naval patrols close to the reefs and outcrops to assert the principle of freedom of navigation, a move which has angered Beijing.
China’s sweeping claims over the South China Sea, where it has built a series of artificial islands capable of supporting military operations despite overlapping claims from other nations, have stoked worldwide alarm.
The Chinese new regulations outline penalties for both Chinese and “foreign” fishermen operating “illegally” in Chinese waters, including its “exclusive economic zone” (EEZ), an area where the Chinese coastguard regularly expels fishing vessels from the Philippines. These latest provisions from the Chinese judiciary system state clearly that unlawful intrusions will be regarded as “serious” criminal acts.
The Chinese defense minister has warned the tense situation in the South China Sea poses the threat of a direct confrontation and has called on the military, police and general population to be ready to defend the country’s territorial integrity.
Separately, China’s military has inaugurated a memorial to servicemen who died in 1974 clashes with South Vietnamese forces that resulted in China cementing its rule over the Paracel Islands, the People’s Liberation Army Daily said.
“This is definitely a priority issue that we will have to resolve in our talks with China”, Jose said in a phone interview.
The white paper also covers Japan’s defense policies and changes in defense strategy since last July, including the country’s ever-rising military spending, its enforcement of the new National Defense Program Guidelines and attempts to promote arms sales.
It said China’s escalating activity in the East China Sea caused Japan to scramble against Chinese warplanes more than 570 times a year ago.
China is “strongly dissatisfied” with Japan’s 2016 defense white paper over its groundless accusations against China’s defense development and military activities, according to a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.
And tensions have also grown over Indonesia’s Natuna Islands in the South China Sea, where Chinese and Indonesian boats have clashed.
The live-fire drills that began August 1 follow China’s strident rejection of an global arbitration panel’s ruling last month that invalidated Beijing’s claims to a vast swath of the South China Sea.
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“This is kind of an ominous suggestion that they will be prosecuting people who enter the waters that China claims”, he said.
