John Kerry and the Obama administration has sent stern warnings to China, demanding they stop the creation of artificial islands and reefs in the heavily disputed South China Sea.
These artificial lands have been used to bolster China’s military presence in the region. According to the Wall Street Journal, China has reclaimed 2,900 acres of land, a 50% increase since May!
[revad1]
Such reclamation around these disputed islands has caused friction with the U.S. since much of it is in international waters. Chinese forces have made warnings to U.S. ships and aircraft in the region.
While the U.S. stands starkly opposed to this aggression from China, the Chinese government is in full spin mode. Chinese embassy spokesman Zhu Haiquan told the Wall Street Journal:
“China stands ready to open these facilities to other countries upon completion, we hope the U.S. side will view this in an objective and balanced way and respect regional countries’ efforts to maintain the peace and stability of the South China Sea.”
_____________
More from Fox News:
China’s land reclamation projects in the South China Sea have grown dramatically over the past few months and Beijing is patrolling the waters around its territorial claims to assert its power, according to a report issued by the Pentagon Thursday.
The Wall Street Journal, citing the newly released report, writes that China has reclaimed 2,900 acres of land mass across the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea as of June. The territorial claims are up 50 percent from May, according to the report.
The U.S. fears the islands will be used for military purposes and could pose a threat to one of the world’s biggest commercial shipping routes as China claims land in what other countries see as international waters, according to the newspaper. Defense officials also say China’s assertiveness poses a risk of possible confrontation with the U.S.
The report comes about a month before Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to make a visit to Washington, where the South China Sea will be among the issues at hand. The report says China’s development in the region has accelerated considerably.
Does China have an ounce of respect for John Kerry and the Obama administration? Sound off in the comments below!
