Code no impact on China’s patrol in disputed water
Print Edition
CHINA will not cede its sovereign rights to others, a senior military official told foreign naval leaders yesterday, as the country takes an increasingly insistent approach to guarding its maritime territory.
“No country should expect China to swallow the bitter pill of our sovereignty, national security or development interests being compromised,” said Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission.
Fan, who met US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in Beijing earlier this month, made the remarks to delegates at the Western Pacific Naval Symposium in the coastal city of Qingdao, where naval leaders from more than 20 countries were meeting.
He sought to assuage fears that China’s rise as a naval power posed a threat to other nations. “Some people worry that China becoming a strong maritime power means a new maritime hegemony that will harm regional stability and global peace. Such worries are completely unnecessary.
“Never will China follow the path that some major countries took to pursue maritime hegemony and colonization of other countries, or exploitation of their resources,” he said.
China’s modernizing navy has taken an increasingly assertive stance in guarding its sovereign maritime territory in the East China and South China Seas.
Fan said the People’s Liberation Army would work to take on more maritime responsibilities.
“The PLA will actively participate with a cooperative spirit and undertake more responsibility and obligations for a harmonious ocean,” he said.
On Tuesday, the conference approved a communications deal to ensure accidental altercations do not become conflicts.
Yesterday, naval leaders expressed hope that the voluntary agreement — essentially a “rules of the road” for communication at sea — would be implemented.
“Each of us will choose freely whether we decide to employ it or not aboard naval or air assets. I do hope all of us will use it in a very short time frame,” said Rear Admiral Anne Cullerre, commander of French maritime forces in the Pacific.
Chinese delegates say the agreement will have no impact on China’s maritime patrols in disputed waters.
Meanwhile, multi-country maritime exercises were held off the coast of Qingdao yesterday.
Nineteen ships, seven helicopters and marine corps from eight countries including China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Singapore, Indonesia, India, Malaysia and Brunei were organized into three task forces to conduct the exercises dubbed “Maritime Cooperation 2014.”
Focusing on joint search and rescue, the drills included task force communication, formation movement, maritime replenishment supply, joint rescue, joint anti-hijacking and small firearms shooting.
The exercises were aimed at enhancing mutual understanding, trust and friendship among maritime forces and promoting their cooperation in safeguarding maritime security to better respond to emergencies.
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