US urged not to hype South China Sea issue
Print Edition
CHINA urged the United States to stop hyping up the South China Sea issue, after US Defense Secretary James Mattis said the US would continue to confront China on militarization of islands in the South China Sea.
“Hyping up militarization in the South China Sea by some people in the US is quite preposterous, just like a thief crying ‘stop thief,’” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said yesterday.
She said the military forces deployed by the US far exceed those combined by China and other coastal countries in the South China Sea.
“China is not the first country or the one deploying the largest amount of weapons in the South China Sea, nor is it the most militarily active country in the region,” Hua said. “So who is pushing ‘militarization’ in the South China Sea? The answer is quite clear.”
She said it is legitimate and justified for China to deploy necessary and limited national defense facilities on its own islands and reefs, as it is exercising its self-defense right as endowed by the international law.
“China adopts a national defense policy that is defensive in nature, and we will not attack others unless we are attacked,” Hua said.
She called on the US to abandon meaningless hype and do more things conducive to mutual trust, cooperation and regional peace.
In response to the US move to rename Pacific Command to US Indo-Pacific Command, Hua called on the US to act responsibly in the Asia-Pacific region.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
