SOUTH CHINA SEA. US Secretary of State John Kerry has warned China over construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea, saying Washington will not accept restrictions on movements in the sea.
The United States has accused China of acting “out of step with both the international rules and norms” after Beijing began work to build artificial islands in the Spratly Islands, a disputed group of more than 750 reefs, islets, atolls, cays and islands in the South China Sea.
China, the Philippines and four other countries have been having disputes over ownership and control of the South China Sea for decades.
Kerry, who was addressing a regional forum of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, said China will obstruct free navigation and overflight in the region by building those islands.
“Freedom of navigation and overflight are among the essential pillars of international maritime law,” he said, noting “despite assurances that these freedoms would be respected, we have seen warnings issued and restrictions attempted in recent months.”
“Let me be clear: The United States will not accept restrictions on freedom of navigation and overflight, or other lawful uses of the sea,” Kerry warned.
The warning came one day after Kerry talked with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during a meeting in which he asked Yi to stop “problematic actions” in the region.
In the meeting on Wednesday, Kerry “reiterated his concern about rising tensions over disputed claims in the South China Sea and China’s large-scale reclamation, construction and militarization of features there.”
Following the meeting, Wang told reporters that Beijing is seeking “peaceful discussions” over the dispute.
Washington is warning China while it is not a party to the conflict and should not interfere in the regional affairs of other countries due to a policy of not taking sides in the territorial row.
The US does not recognize China’s sovereignty in the areas and is sending surveillance aircraft and warships to test its territorial claims.
China, however, insists it has sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea and accuses Washington of meddling in the regional issues and deliberately stirring up tensions in the region.
Credit: PressTV
