©AP Photo/Heng Sinith, File
The US Armed Forces must stop provoking China in the South China Sea, otherwise they will bear responsibility for any potential incidents, Chinese Defense Ministry Spokesman Tan Kefei warned on Thursday.
The comment was Tan’s response to a US Navy vessel that allegedly sailed near the China-controlled Paracel Islands in the South China Sea.
"We sternly demand that the United States immediately stop such provocations, otherwise it will bear full responsibility for all the serious consequences of their causing a potential incident," the Chinese Defense Ministry quoted him as saying on WeChat.
"The Chinese People’s Liberation Army will take all necessary measures to protect national sovereignty and security and will resolutely defend peace and stability in the South China Sea," Tan assured.
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Milius passed near the Paracel Islands last Friday. China’s top brass claimed that the US warship did this without the Chinese government’s permission and had violated China’s sovereignty. The US 7th Fleet replied by saying in a news release that the US destroyer had acted in line with international law, while conducting a freedom of navigation operation (FONOP).
Beijing has disputed the territorial jurisdiction of some islands in the South China Sea where large hydrocarbon reserves were found with Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia. The most disputed territories are the Xisha Islands, also known as the Paracel Islands, the Nansha or Spratly Islands and Huangyan Island (Scarborough Reef).
China strongly opposes the United States' sensationalization of the "China threat" in its new defense act, said Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, a spokesman for China's Defense Ministry.
Tan said in a news release on Saturday that the US' National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 involves a number of negative provisions regarding China. It plays up the so-called "China threat" in disregard of facts and brazenly interferes with China's internal affairs to fabricate excuses for expanding military expenditures and maintaining its hegemony, he said.
"Such acts have not only harmed China's sovereignty, security and interests, but have also poisoned the ties between the two countries and the two militaries," said Tan. "China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed to the US' move, and has lodged solemn representations with the US."
The spokesman said that China is following a path of peaceful development and a national defense policy that is defensive in nature, and has always taken concrete actions to safeguard world peace, foster the common development and strive for a better, shared future for mankind. The Chinese military has always been a staunch force for protecting world peace and stability and this fact has been recognized by the international community and brooks no denigration, according to Tan.
In stark contrast, the US has either waged wars against other countries or created conflicts, causing massive casualties and displacement of innocent civilians.
"Facts have proved again and again that the US is the very direct threat to the international order and the driver behind turbulence in many regions," he noted.
Speaking about the Taiwan question, the spokesman said that, for a certain period, the US has been constantly distorting and invalidating the one-China principle, frequently selling arms to Taiwan, strengthening its military connection with Taiwan and concocting Taiwan-related acts that damage China's sovereignty. These moves have seriously jeopardized the peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and increase the risk of China-US military confrontation.
"The People's Liberation Army is, as always, ready to resolutely safeguard our national reunification and territorial integrity," Tan said.
"We urge the US to abandon its obsession with this zero-sum game and adopt objective and rational perspective of China's national defense and military, truly respect China's core interests and major concerns, and work with China to implement the consensus reached by our national leaders. Only in this way, can the military-to-military relations between the two countries get back on track," he stressed.
China willing to work with Russian military on several fronts - Chinese defence ministry
China said its military was willing to work together with the Russian military to strengthen strategic communication and coordination, the Chinese defence ministry said on Thursday.
The two countries would work together to implement global security initiatives, said Tan Kefei, a spokesman at the Chinese defence ministry, at a regular press conference.
Tan said the two countries would deepen military trust and jointly safeguard international fairness and justice.
They will also further organise joint maritime, air patrols and joint exercises, Tan said.
China President Xi Jinping recently visited Russia and met with President Vladimir Putin - a visit the United States denounced.
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