China Indirectly Warns U.S Against ‘Camp’ Confrontations Regarding South China Sea Issue

Days before a meeting between leaders of China and the U.S., Beijing’s foreign minister Wang Yi urged the resolution of maritime disputes through negotiations and communication instead of a ‘camp’ confrontation.

The minister did not mention any nation in a symposium on maritime governance held in Hainan on Tuesday, but it is clear that he pointed towards the United States.

Japan, the Philippines, and the U.S. are concerned about the increasing Chinese domination in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims as part of its territory, a claim which is questioned by many littoral countries.

The previous month, China and the Philippines were embroiled in a conflict, and China stopped several Philippine Ships, saying that they were ‘trespassing’ on its territory when the Philippines was sending essential supplies to its troops deployed on the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, that lies in the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.

The tense encounters in the recent past over this issue led Japan to ask for U.S. cooperation in helping Manila strengthen its maritime security and bolster its capabilities.

Beijing is critical of the United States’ Indo-Pacific Strategy, which sees China as an aggressor in the South China Sea. Hence, it is quite unhappy with the U.S. supporting Manila.

Wang also said that China will readily fulfil its duties under international maritime laws, including UNCLOS.

A year earlier, he had indirectly criticised a ‘certain major country’ for refusing to be a part of the UNCLOS, which has almost 160 nations.

The U.S. has accepted the UNCLOS but has not ratified it yet.

References: Yahoo News, Reuters

China Indirectly Warns U.S Against ‘Camp’ Confrontations Regarding South China Sea Issue appeared first on Marine Insight – The Maritime Industry Guide

Source: Maritime Shipping News