BEIJING: China’s Defence Ministry claimed that South China Sea defenses are necessary due to the plan of militarization pushed by US, and China will take any required measure to protect its sovereignty.
China’s defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian said “The US is the real promoter of the militarization of the South China Sea.”
He said “China’s construction of military facilities on the islands and reefs of the South China Sea is really needed.”
He claimed that its China’s legitimate right to deploy defensive facilities in the territory when and where ever required.
Recently China has deployed advanced surface to air missiles on the Woody Island which is a part of Paracel chain.
China controls the Paracel chain while Vietnam and Taiwan also claim for it.
More than $5 trillion global trade passes through South China Sea every year and China claims the whole sea but Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Philippines and Taiwan have rival claims.
A Vietnamese official claimed that the militarization of South China Sea is a very serious issue and threatened the peace and stability in the region.
Western media issued satellite imagery of Woody Island showing deployed military equipment on the island but China’s defence minister called it a hype.
The international community also criticized the China’s move of militarizing the disputed sea.