China
says U.S. actions in South China Sea 'irresponsible, dangerous'
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[May 22, 2015]
By Sui-Lee Wee
BEIJING (Reuters) - China said on Friday
it was "strongly dissatisfied" after a U.S. military plane flew over
part of the South China Sea near where China is building artificial
islands, and called on the United States to stop such action or risk
causing an accident.
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The Chinese navy issued eight warnings to the U.S. P8-A Poseidon,
the U.S. military's most advanced surveillance aircraft, when it
conducted the overflights on Wednesday, according to CNN, which had
a team on board the U.S. aircraft.
China claims 90 percent of the South China Sea, which is believed to
be rich in oil and gas, its claims overlapping with those of Brunei,
Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the Chinese military drove
away the U.S. aircraft, in accordance with relevant regulations,
labeling the U.S. action a security threat to China's islands and
reefs.
"Such action is likely to cause an accident, it is very
irresponsible and dangerous and detrimental to regional peace and
stability. We express our strong dissatisfaction, we urge the U.S.
to strictly abide by international law and international rules and
refrain from taking any risky and provocative actions," he told a
news conference.
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"China will continue to closely monitor the relevant area and take
the necessary and appropriate measures to prevent harm to the safety
of China’s islands and reefs as well as any sea and air accidents."
Recent satellite images suggest China has made rapid progress in
filling in land in contested territory in the Spratly islands and in
building an airstrip suitable for military use and that it may be
planning another.
The senior U.S. diplomat for the East Asia, Assistant Secretary of
State Daniel Russel, told a media briefing in Washington the U.S.
reconnaissance flight was "entirely appropriate" and that U.S. naval
forces and military aircraft would "continue to fully exercise" the
right to operate in international waters and airspace.
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On Thursday, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken said
China's land reclamation in the South China Sea was undermining
freedom and stability and risked provoking tension that could lead
to conflict.
The Global Times, a tabloid owned by the ruling Communist Party's
People's Daily, called the U.S. overflights "provocative".
"Washington is purposefully raising tensions with China, a move that
has created a higher risk of a physical confrontation," the
newspaper said in an editorial on Friday.
"China should be prepared to ramp up its countermeasures, one notch
at a time, according to the degree of provocations from the U.S."
(Writing by John Ruwitch)
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