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China, US continue war of words over isles

BEIJING — China and the United States continued their war of words over the South China Sea yesterday, with Beijing defending its building of artificial islands in the disputed waters and accusing Washington of stirring up trouble in the economically vital region, in response to the US’ calls for an immediate halt to land reclamations.

BEIJING — China and the United States continued their war of words over the South China Sea yesterday, with Beijing defending its building of artificial islands in the disputed waters and accusing Washington of stirring up trouble in the economically vital region, in response to the US’ calls for an immediate halt to land reclamations.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said no outside actors had the right to dictate to China in an area it claims as its sovereign territory.

Ms Hua’s remarks came less than a day after US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter delivered the strongest US warning yet against Beijing’s moves in the South China Sea, demanding a halt to land reclamation in disputed waters and vowing that Washington would remain Asia’s leading power “for decades to come”.

Ms Hua said the US was committing “provocations and instigations” that threaten stability, a reference to Washington’s refusal to recognise Chinese sovereignty over the newly-built dry land. “China has its own judgment, and no others are entitled the rights to demand China how to act,” she told reporters, adding that Beijing was acting appropriately as a “big power”.

She said the status quo of the South China Sea is generally stable, “but some countries keep on making provocations out of their selfish purposes, wilfully challenging China’s territorial integrity and maritime rights”.

Mr Hua said the US had disregarded other countries’ long-running construction in the area, but keeps attacking China’s “lawful, justified and normal” construction, adding that “if this is not a habitual application of double standard, then there must be hidden motives behind this”.

Mr Carter, heading for an 11-day Asia-Pacific tour, with stops in Singapore, Vietnam and India, called on countries in the region to settle territorial claims with diplomacy rather than force. “We want a peaceful resolution of all disputes, and an immediate and lasting halt to land reclamation by any claimant,” he said in a speech on Wednesday to US forces at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

“We also oppose any further militarisation of disputed features.”

China has been expanding small islands and reefs into larger parcels of land in the South China Sea, alarming smaller neighbours such as Vietnam and the Philippines, who have competing claims to the waters. In recent weeks, China has also challenged US surveillance flights over the disputed seas.

“There should be no mistake about this: The United States will fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows, as we do all around the world,” said Mr Carter, who has ordered the military to develop options for more assertive US demonstrations of its right to transit the region.

Friction over China’s island-building project is expected to overshadow this weekend’s annual Shangri-La Dialogue defence forum in Singapore, which Mr Carter is attending alongside Admiral Sun Jianguo, China’s vice-chief of general staff, and other military leaders.

The US Pentagon said in a recent report that China’s construction on the disputed islands could be used for military airstrips, naval ports or to host surveillance systems. US officials are concerned that China’s land reclamation projects may be a prelude to enforcing a possible Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) over the South China Sea, similar to one it declared over disputed Japanese-held islands in the East China Sea in 2013.

A senior Chinese Foreign Ministry official said on Wednesday that China had the right to establish ADIZs.

“Whether or not China establishes a South China Sea ADIZ will depend on factors such as whether China’s air safety is under threat and the seriousness of the threat,” said Mr Ouyang Yujing, director of the ministry’s boundary and oceanic affairs department. However, he added, the area remained stable for the time being. AGENCIES

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