Control of disputed waters ‘is justified’
Print Edition
THE South China Sea is one of the world’s freest and safest shipping lanes, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said yesterday, arguing that China’s control over the disputed waters is justified because it was the first to discover them.
The US Navy has carried out freedom of navigation exercises, sailing near disputed islands to underscore its rights to operate there. Those patrols, and reports that China is deploying advanced missiles, fighters and radar equipment on islands in the area, have led Washington and Beijing to trade accusations of militarizing the region.
Freedom of navigation does not equal “freedom to run amok,” Wang said at a news conference on the sidelines of the annual parliament meeting.
“In fact, based on the joint efforts of China and other regional countries, the South China Sea is currently one of the safest and freest shipping lanes in the world,” he said.
“China was the earliest to explore, name, develop, and administer various South China Sea islands. Our ancestors worked diligently here for generations,” Wang said.
“History will prove who is the visitor and who is the genuine host,” he said, adding that China would “consider inviting” foreign journalists to islands under its control when the conditions are right to do so.
China was neither the earliest country to deploy weapons to the South China Sea nor the country with the most weapons there, Wang said.
US Defense Secretary Ash Carter has said the US military is increasing deployments to the Asia-Pacific region and would spend US$425 million to 2020 on more exercises and training with countries in the region.
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