The United States warned China on Saturday to halt destabilising actions in Asia, as Washington and its allies sought to boost defence cooperation in the face of what Japan called an ‘increasingly severe’ security environment.
Using unusually strong language, US defense secretary Chuck Hagel told an Asia-Pacific security forum the US was committed to its geopolitical rebalance to the region and ‘will not look the other way when fundamental principles of the international order are being challenged’.
‘In recent months, China has undertaken destabilising, unilateral actions asserting its claims in the South China Sea,’ he said in his speech to the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
Hagel said the US took no position on the merits of rival territorial claims in the region, but added: ‘We firmly oppose any nation’s use of intimidation, coercion, or the threat of force to assert these claims.’
Hagel later held a bilateral meeting with the deputy chief of staff of the Chinese army, Lieutenant-General Wang Guanzhong, who expressed surprise at his comments.
‘You were very candid this morning, and to be frank, more than our expectations. Although I do think those criticisms are groundless, I do appreciate your candour likewise we will also share our candour,’ Wang said at the start of the meeting. In Beijing, president Xi Jinping said China would not initiate aggressive action in the South China Sea but would respond if others did, Xinhua news agency reported.
‘We will never stir up trouble, but will react in the necessary way to the provocations of countries involved,’ Xinhua quoted Xi as saying in a meeting on Friday with prime minister Najib Razak of Malaysia. Japanese defence minister Itsunori Onodera said Tokyo perceived an ‘increasingly severe regional security environment’.
‘It is unfortunate there are security concerns in the East and South China Seas. Japan as well as all concerned parties must uphold the rule of law and never attempt to unilaterally change the status quo by force,’ he said.
China claims almost the entire oil- and gas-rich South China Seas, and dismisses competing claims from Taiwan, Brunei, Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia. Japan has its own territorial row with China over islands in the East China Sea. Tensions have surged in recent weeks after China placed an oil rig in waters claimed by Vietnam, and the Philippines said Beijing could be building an airstrip on a disputed island.
Japan’s defence ministry said Chinese SU-27 fighters came as close as 50 metres (170 feet) to a Japanese OP-3C surveillance plane near disputed islets last week and within 30 metres of a YS-11EB electronic intelligence aircraft.
On Friday, Japan prime minister Shinzo Abe told the Singapore forum that Tokyo would offer its ‘utmost support’ to Southeast Asian countries in their efforts to protect their seas and airspace, as he pitched his plan for Japan to take on a bigger international security role.