BEIJING – China on Monday called on the U.S. military to stop flexing itsmuscles in the South China Sea and to avoid adding “new uncertainties” overTaiwan, during high-level talks that underscored tension between theworld’s two largest economies.
The remarks by Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe to U.S. DefenseSecretary Mark Esper, recounted by a Chinese spokesman, came just two weeksafter a top White House official denounced Chinese “intimidation” in thebusy waterway.
It also came a day after Esper publicly accused Beijing of “increasinglyresorting to coercion and intimidation to advance its strategic objectives”in the region.
During closed-door talks on the sidelines of a gathering of defenceministers in Bangkok, Wei urged Esper to “stop flexing muscles in the SouthChina Sea and to not provoke and escalate tensions in the South China Sea”,the spokesman, Wu Qian, said.
China claims almost all the energy-rich waters of the South China Sea,where it has established military outposts on artificial islands. However,Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims toparts of the sea.
The United States accuses China of militarising the South China Sea andtrying to intimidate Asian neighbours who might want to exploit itsextensive oil and gas reserves.
The U.S. Navy regularly vexes China by conducting what it calls “freedom ofnavigation” operations by ships close to some of the islands Chinaoccupies, asserting freedom of access to international waterways.
Asked specifically what Wei sought for the United States to do differently,and whether that included halting such freedom of navigation operations, Wusaid: “We (call on) the U.S. side to stop intervening in the South ChinaSea and stop military provocation in the South China Sea.”
In a statement, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said Esper, in hismeeting with Wei, noted China’s “perpetual reluctance” to adhere tointernational norms.
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“Secretary Esper pointedly reiterated that the United States will fly, sailand operate wherever international law allows – and we will encourage andprotect the rights of other sovereign nations to do the same,” Hoffman said.
Despite warm words exchanged in front of reporters, Wei and Esper alsodiscussed thorny issues, including Chinese-ruled Hong Kong, which has seenmonths of anti-government protests.
They also talked about democratic Taiwan, which is claimed by China as awayward province and is the Communist Party’s most sensitive and importantterritorial issue.
Fenghe underscored to Esper China’s position that it would “not tolerateany Taiwan independence incident”, Wu said, adding that it opposed anyofficial or military contact with Taiwan.
China has in the past threatened to attack if Taiwan, set to hold apresidential election next year, moves towards independence.
“The Chinese side also requires the U.S. side to carefully handle theTaiwan related-issue and to not add new uncertainties to the Strait,” Wusaid.
The exchange came a day after news that China sailed a carrier group intothe sensitive Taiwan Strait, led by its first domestically built aircraftcarrier.
