CHINA’S actions in the South China Sea are designed to “coerce and bully” its neighbours, according to a top US Navy commander.
Admiral John Aquilino, commander of the US Navy’s Pacific Fleet, lashed out at Beijing for using its military strength to intimidate other countries in the region and warned China must respect the “international rights of all”. Speaking at a briefing in Bangkok on Friday, he claimed China’s activities in the disputed waters – which include constructing islands and installing anti-aircraft systems – are intended to project its military capacity.
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He said such actions “absolutely have military purpose in order to present an optic to partners and nations in the region that show military strength and ultimately coerce and bully the nations in the region”.
Admiral Aquilino warned China recently landed bombers on runways on several of the man-made islands atop coral reefs and lagoons that are scattered throughout the huge stretch of water.
He claimed Beijing had also been installing anti-aircraft and anti-ship missile systems, as well as radar jamming equipment.
His words came as senior US and Chinese generals have been working to increase diplomacy to de-escalate rising tensions between the two countries and avoid all out war.
The two global superpowers have been on brink of conflict over what Beijing calls inference from Washington in the Asia-Pacific region, and based on historical rights, insists it has sovereignty over almost all of the South China Sea.
This is amid a trade war between the two nations – as well as China believing that the US covertly backed protestors in Hong Kong.
Beijing has also refused to abide by an international arbitration ruling in a case filed by the Philippines, which ruled most of its territorial claims invalid.
Earlier this week, tensions again threatened to boil over when China insisted its territorial claims in the South China Sea are legitimate and conform to international law.
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Beijing insisted the entire waterway up to the coasts of the Philippines, Malaysia and Taiwan belongs to them, a claim rejected by an international court of arbitration in 2016.
Wu Haitao, China’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, said: “China’s territorial claims and claims to marine rights and interests in the South China Sea are in line with relevant international law and international practices.”
Under the administration of US President Donald Trump, some southeast Asian countries are fearing a possible pullback from the US – just as the speed of China’s dominance is growing.
But Admiral Aquilino poured cold water on such fears and said the US would remain in the region for many years to come.
He sent out a strong warning to China, insisting a partnership between the US and “like-minded nations” will keep Asian countries safe amid rising competition from Beijing.
He said: “We are in competition with the People’s Republic of China.
“We have inherent disagreement between ideologies. When the US talks about values, those are values that like-minded nations share.
“I believe that the strength of partnerships with those values will be what keeps the nations in the region secure.”