The decision reinforces the U.S. stance that considers the disputed area to be situated in global waters and airspace, not recognising the man-made islands as sovereign Chinese territory.
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Chinese authorities ensured that the two lighthouses recently built on reefs in the South China Sea will contribute to guide passing vessels and significantly improve navigation safety.
China has dramatically increased the size and scale of iots efforts to build up land around rocks and reefs it controls in the Spratly Island area of the South China Sea over the previous year or so. “We hope the United States can look upon the current situation of the South China Sea from an objective and fair perspective and play a constructive role together with China in keeping the peace and stability in the South China Sea”, said Hua Chunying, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, according to the Guardian.
In May, Chunying was quoted by the Wall Street Journal as urging “relevant countries to refrain from taking risky and provocative action” off China’s territorial claims.
The US Navy is reportedly waiting for US President Obama’s approval. The Chinese government says its artificial islands are largely reserved for civilian operations such as weather monitoring and search and rescue, but a few will be used for military purposes.
Last September, House Armed Services Committee member Randy Forbes, R-Virginia, sent a letter signed by a bipartisan group of 29 House members calling the island-building project a threat to freedom of navigation and the peaceful global order in place since the end of World War II.
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Aside from China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also claim parts of the South China Sea, an important sea passage that is also rich in oil, gas and fish.
