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China and the US on Tuesday continued to deepen their ongoing multi-front diplomatic tussle with Beijing lashing out at Washington for rejecting Chinese claims over the South China Sea (SCS) as “illegal” and in addition sanctioning American defence big Lockheed Martin for promoting missiles to the self-ruled democracy, Taiwan.
On Monday, reversing a coverage of not taking a direct facet within the SCS maritime disputes involving China and several other different smaller littoral states, the Donald Trump administration rejected Beijing’s expansive claims within the resource-rich seas.
“We are making clear: Beijing’s claims to offshore resources across most of the SCS are completely unlawful, as is its campaign of bullying to control them,” Secretary of State Michael Pompeo mentioned in a press release Monday.
China is concerned in disputes with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Taiwan within the SCS maritime area.
The change within the US coverage comes at a time when two nuclear-powered US navy tremendous aircraft-carriers, USS Nimitz and Ronald Reagan are deployed within the area.
The Chinese international ministry reacted sharply to Pompeo’s assertion, saying the US assertion “neglected the history and facts” Beijing’s claims on the SCS and the disputed islands and shoals.
“The US, out of its selfish agenda, is doing all it can to stir up trouble in the SCS and drive a wedge between regional countries and China, aiming to disrupt China’s and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries’ efforts to maintain peace and stability,” international ministry spokesperson, Zhao Lijian mentioned at the common ministry briefing in Beijing on Tuesday.
“China does not seek to build a maritime empire in the SCS. We have been treating our neighbouring countries as equals and we have been keeping maximum restraint in safeguarding sovereignty and interests in the South China Sea,” he mentioned.
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China and the ASEAN bloc had been accelerating discussions on a Code of Conduct to collectively safeguard peace, stability and freedom of navigation within the disputed waters, Zhao mentioned, including, “We have made progress in our consultations,” he mentioned.
At the identical press convention, Zhao introduced that China will put sanctions on Lockheed Martin for its involvement within the newest US arms sale to Taiwan, Beijing claims as a breakaway area.
One of the main weapon-makers on the planet, the US firm is the first contractor for a $620 million improve bundle for Taiwan’s Patriot surface-to-air missiles, which the US authorities authorized final week.
When requested to touch upon the arms sale, Zhao mentioned the US ought to cease promoting weapons to Taiwan to “avoid further harming Sino-US ties and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait”.
“In order to safeguard the country’s interests, China has decided to take necessary steps, and put sanctions on the main contractor for this sale, Lockheed Martin,” Zhao mentioned. He didn’t elaborate.
Also learn: After US sanctions, UK bans Huawei from 5G networks
The affect of the sanctions could be primarily symbolic as Washington has lengthy had an arms embargo on Beijing. Agency experiences from Taiwan mentioned the Taiwanese authorities has welcomed the missile improve.
It is bolstering its defences for what it sees as more and more threatening strikes by Beijing, comparable to its common air power and naval workouts close to Taiwan.
Taiwan’s Defence Minister Yen Teh-fa, visiting troops in the course of the annual Han Kuang navy train, was quoted by Reuters as saying that they wanted to be sturdy within the face of “all sorts of threats and provocations” from China.
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