US has long opposed China’s vast land claims in the South China Sea (File)
Washington:
Leading US diplomat for East Asia warned on Tuesday that Washington may respond with sanctions against Chinese officials and companies involved in coercion in the South China Sea after the United States announced a position firmer towards Beijing’s claims.
“Nothing is on the table … there is room for that. It is a language that the Chinese understand – demonstrative and tangible action,” said David Stilwell, Assistant Secretary of State for Asia from the East to a Washington think tank when asked if sanctions were a possible US response to Chinese actions.
Stilwell spoke a day after the United States rejected China’s claims about offshore resources in most of the South China Sea as “completely illegal”, a position denounced by Beijing.
The United States has long opposed China’s vast land claims in the South China Sea and has regularly sent warships via the strategic waterway, through which about $ 3 trillion in trade passes annually, to demonstrate freedom of navigation. But Monday’s announcement was the first time it had declared Chinese claims illegal.
China claims 90% of the potentially energy-rich sea, but Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also claim part of it. Beijing has built bases on atolls in the region, but says its intentions are peaceful.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Wednesday that the threat of US sanctions was his latest attempt to stir up unrest and destabilize the region.
“The United States is talking arbitrarily about sanctions … it’s very pathetic,” she told reporters during a daily briefing in Beijing. “We are not afraid of sanctions”.
Greg Poling, a South China Sea expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said that declaring China’s allegations illegal would pave the way for a tougher US response, including through sanctions, and could also lead to more US naval presence operations.
A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry previously condemned the firmer stance of the United States towards China, saying that it “destroys regional peace and stability and is an irresponsible act”.
A U.S. Navy destroyer carried out a freedom of navigation operation near the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on Tuesday, the U.S. military said.
“This freedom of navigation operation respected the rights, freedoms and lawful uses of the sea recognized by international law by challenging the innocent passage restrictions imposed by China, Vietnam and Taiwan,” said the Navy.
These operations have become more and more common in recent years.
The relationship between the United States and China has become increasingly strained recently on various issues, including China’s management of the new coronavirus and its strengthened grip over Hong Kong.
Stilwell said that the stricter US position means “we are no longer going to say that we are neutral on these maritime issues”.
“When a (Chinese) drilling rig sets up in Vietnamese or Malaysian waters, we will be able to make a positive statement,” he said.
Stilwell had a special warning about the shoal of Scarborough, a outcrop 200 km (124 miles) from the Philippines claimed by Beijing and Manila that China seized in 2012.
“Any decision by (China) to physically occupy, recover or militarize the shoal of Scarborough would be a dangerous decision … and would have lasting and serious consequences for (China’s) relations with the United States , as well as the whole region, “he said. said.
(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and David Brunnstrom in Washington; Additional reporting by Idrees Ali in Washington, Martin Pollard in Beijing; Editing by Sandra Maler and Matthew Lewis)
(This story has not been edited by GalacticGaming staff and is automatically generated from a syndicated feed.)
