Navy chief calls US act ‘provocative’
Print Edition
CHINA’S naval commander told his US counterpart that a minor incident could spark war in the South China Sea if the United States didn’t stop its provocative acts in the disputed area, the Chinese Navy said yesterday.
Admiral Wu Shengli made the comments to US chief of naval operations Admiral John Richardson during a video teleconference on Thursday, according to a Chinese naval statement.
The two officers held talks after a US warship on Tuesday entered waters near Zhubi Reef in the Nansha Islands without China’s permission, and despite repeated opposition.
“Such dangerous and provocative acts have threatened China’s sovereignty and security and harmed regional peace and stability,” Wu said.
“If the United States continues with these kinds of dangerous, provocative acts, there could well be a seriously pressing situation between frontline forces from both sides on the sea and in the air, or even a minor incident that sparks war,” he warned.
China will “have to take all necessary measures to safeguard sovereignty and security” if the US persists on ignoring China’s concerns, he said.
“I hope the US side cherishes the good situation between the Chinese and US navies that has not come easily and avoids these kinds of incidents from happening again,” Wu said.
Speaking earlier, a US official said the naval chiefs agreed to maintain dialogue and follow protocols to avoid clashes.
Scheduled port visits by US and Chinese ships, and planned visits to China by senior US Navy officers remained on track, he said.
“None of that is in jeopardy. Nothing has been canceled,” the US official said.
Both officers agreed on the need to stick to protocols established under the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea.
“They agreed that it’s very important that both sides continue to use the protocols under the CUES agreement when they’re operating close to keep the chances for misunderstanding and any kind of provocation from occurring,” the US official said.
Wu said he believed the Chinese and US navies had plenty of scope for cooperation and should both “play a positive role in maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea.”
Wu said it is a well-known fact and the country’s consistent stance that China has irrefutable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and its adjacent waters. China’s island construction in the area has been conducted on its own territory and is a matter of Chinese sovereignty.
“It is reasonable and legal, and does not affect any other country. It will not influence the freedom of navigation and flight enjoyed by other countries,” he said.
“Freedom of navigation in the South China Sea has not had a problem in the past and will not have one now or in the future.”
Such a principle does not provide a pretext or privilege for any nation to harm others’ sovereignty and security, he said.
Wu said the US shouldn’t force other nations to accept its proposal and mustn’t infringe on others’ interests in the name of maintaining freedom of navigation.
Richardson said the US patrol in the South China Sea was part of its global “navigation freedom” and followed international law.
It was not aimed at any one particular country and the “US takes no position in competing sovereignty claims,” he said.
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