China on Tuesday said it has the right to develop South China Sea islands as it sees fit in the wake of US accusations that it has fully militarised at least three of several islands it built in the disputed waterway in violation of a previous commitment.
China's deployment of necessary national defence facilities on its own territory is a right entitled to every sovereign country and is in line with international law, which is beyond reproach, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters at a daily briefing.
US military activities in the area aimed to stir up trouble and make provocations," Wang said. That seriously threatens the sovereignty and security of coastal countries and undermines the order and navigation safety in the South China Sea."
On Sunday, US Indo-Pacific Commander Adm John C Aquilino said China had armed the islands with anti-ship and anti-aircraft missile systems, laser and jamming equipment, and fighter jets, in an increasingly aggressive move that threatens all nations operating nearby.
Aquilino said the hostile actions were in stark contrast to Chinese President Xi Jinping's past assurances that Beijing would not transform the artificial islands in contested waters into military bases. The efforts were part of China's flexing of its military muscle, he said.
I think over the past 20 years we've witnessed the largest military buildup since World War II by the PRC, Aquilino told The Associated Press in an interview, using the initials of China's formal name. They have advanced all their capabilities and that buildup of weaponisation is destabilising to the region.
China claims as its own territory virtually the entire South China Sea, home to fish stocks and undersea minerals, along with sea lanes through which an estimated $5 trillion in global trade travels each year.
China refuses to acknowledge claims from five other governments to some or all of the waterway and dismissed the findings of a UN-backed arbitration tribunal that invalidated China's sweeping historical claims under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The fully militarised islands are among seven China has constructed in recent years by piling sand and concrete atop coral reefs, causing heavy damage to the marine environment.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dear Reader,
Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.
We, however, have a request.
As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.
Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.
Digital Editor
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU