China: Don’t ‘gesticulate’ on SCS plans

China’s defence ministry denounced as gesticulation on Thursday speculation it would declare an air defence zone over the disputed South China Sea, after the United States said it had told China it would not recognise one.

US officials have expressed concern that an international court ruling expected in coming weeks on a case brought by the Philip-pines against China over its South China Sea claims could prompt China to declare an air defence identification zone as it did over the East China Sea in 2013.

US deputy secretary of defence Robert Work said on Wednesday the US would view such a move as “destabilising” and would not recognise such an exclusion zone in the South China Sea.

Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun, asked about Mr Work’s remarks, said any sovereign state had the right to set up an ADIZ.

“On this, there is no need for other countries to gesticulate,” Mr Yang told a monthly news briefing.

“Whether or not to or when to set up an ADIZ depends on whether there is an aerial threat or the level of aerial threat. It needs many considerations,” he added.