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Defense ministers of China and Korea likely to discuss South China Sea tensions

Defense ministers of China and Korea likely to discuss South China Sea tensions

Posted November. 04, 2015 08:03,   

한국어

Amidst the escalating military tensions between the U.S. and China over the South China Sea, the two countries are seeking ways to ease the tensions.

A sister newspaper of the People’s Daily of China reported on Tuesday that Admiral Harry B. Harrison Jr., the Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command (picture), met with high-ranking Chinese military officials during his visit to China on Tuesday to propose a joint military exercise without mentioning the issue over the "navigation across the South China Sea," which arose as a diplomatic flashpoint between the U.S. and China.

In 2014, China dispatched military vessels to the U.S. to participate in the exercise RIMPAC for the first time. A media outlet in Singapore also reported that the two countries are making an effort to resolve the issue through dialogues since the U.S. Navy destroyer was dispatched to enter the 12 nautical miles (about 22 kilometers) off the artificial islands in the disputed waters, explaining that neither nation wants the current tensions rising any further.

However, some argue that it will not be easy to dispel the conflict over the entrance of the U.S. military vessel into the seas off the artificial islands. “The U.S. Navy will conduct patrols within the 12 nautical miles of the Chinese sea more than twice a quarter on a regular basis,” said an official from the U.S. Department of Defense. U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes also said there would be more demonstrations of the U.S. military`s commitment to the right to freely navigate in the region.

In response, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday said that the U.S. and China need to have clear understanding about the strategic intentions of each other, expressing his personal opinion over the issue for the first time since the U.S. warship entered the Chinese waters. “Chine will take all possible measures in order to protect her territorial sovereignty,” said Yi Xiaoguang, deputy chief of the general staff of the Chinese People`s Liberation Army. "The U.S. is hoped to refrain from any act that might undermine the bilateral relations of the two countries.”

In fact, China is taking actions. Lianhe Zaobao, a Singaporean daily newspaper, reported on Monday that a Chinese navy fleet headed for the South China Sea to conduct military drills with live ammunition. “It will be a day and night simulation exercise designed to fight virtual enemy vessels invading the Chinese territories within the South China Sea, and the exercise will be conducted with live ammunition,” said the Singaporean newspaper.



bonhong@donga.com