US sail-by deemed dangerous by China
Print Edition
CHINA yesterday condemned as “dangerous and irresponsible” the weekend transit of a US warship within 12 nautical miles of a Chinese island in the South China Sea.
It accused the US of being the biggest incentive for militarization of the South China Sea, and urged it to stop creating tension in the name of “navigational freedom.”
“China always respects and supports navigational freedom in the South China Sea granted by international law to all countries, however, we oppose any infringement of China’s sovereignty, security and maritime interests using the excuse of ‘navigational freedom’,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang.
The Pentagon said the guided missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur made the “innocent passage” on Saturday off Zhongjian Island in the Xisha island chain.
Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said that the operation sought to challenge policies restricting navigation rights and freedom.
The so-called “navigation freedom plan” pursued by the United States for many years does not accord with international law. It disregards sovereignty, security and maritime interests of coastal countries and jeopardizes the region’s peace and stability, Lu said.
The US is actually pursuing maritime hegemony in the name of “freedom,” he said.
He added that the move on the US side was both dangerous and irresponsible. “We advise the United States to stop moves that harm others without benefiting itself as soon as possible,” Lu said.
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