Accusing the US of using the South China Sea (SCS) issue to contain its rise, China on Wednesday said the disputed area should become a “sea of peace, friendship and cooperation” instead of an “excuse
Accusing the US of using the South China Sea (SCS) issue to contain its rise, China on Wednesday said the disputed area should become a “sea of peace, friendship and cooperation” instead of an “excuse or a tool”.
The Communist giant also firmly refuted reports that its economy headed is for hard landing due to steady slowdown resulting in millions of job losses. The South China Sea issue “shall not be turned into an excuse or a tool by certain country to contain China’s development,” Wang Guoqing, spokesperson of National Committee of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) — an advisory body of nominated members — told media ahead of its annual political session beginning here from Thursday. Refuting the hyped Chinese “militarisation”, Wang said South China Sea should become a “sea of peace, friendship and cooperation.”
Separately, Chinese foreign ministry asked the US not to hype up or deliberately confuse the South China Sea issue. Commenting on US defence secretary Ashton Carter’s remarks that China must not pursue militarisation in the SCS, a ministry spokesperson said China’s deployment of limited and necessary national defence facilities in its own territory is far from new. China’s exercise of self-preservation and defense is a right granted by international law to sovereign states, he said.
Meanwhile, Philippines officials said on Wednesday that China sent several ships to a disputed atoll in the South China Sea, preventing Filipino fishermen from accessing traditional fishing grounds. China had sent as many as seven ships to Quirino Atoll, also known as Jackson Atoll, in recent weeks, said Eugenio Bito-onon Jr, the mayor of nearby Pagasa Island.
