China’s militarization in the East Sea criticized
(VOVworld) - The US, worried by China’s military buildup to assert dominance in the East Sea, will increase freedom-of-navigation operations there. Admiral Harry Harris, the head of the US Navy’s Pacific Command, told a hearing of the House of Representatives armed services committee on Thursday that China was “changing the operational landscape” in the East Sea by deploying missiles and radar as part of an effort to militarily dominate east Asia.
Senior officials of Japan, Australia and India agreed on Friday on the importance of maintaining the rule of law in the East Sea, sharing "strong concerns" about tensions in the region amid China's rising maritime assertiveness. Vice Foreign Minister Akitaka Saiki told reporters after talks with his Australian and Indian counterparts in Tokyo that they shared strong concerns about moves to unilaterally change the status quo that would lead to destabilization in the region. He stressed the need to establish a new understanding in the region to secure the rule of law and the freedom of navigation, referring to the ongoing discussions between China and ASEAN to conclude the Code of Conduct in the East Sea, a legally binding document that could be used to resolve deadlocks, disputes and tensions in the sea.
The three-way meeting came as China's deployment of an advanced surface-to-air missile system stoked concerns that the country is pursuing militarization in the East Sea, adding to tensions already heightened by Beijing's massive and fast-paced reclamation works in the region.