China rebuked Washington for sending a U.S. guided-missile destroyer close to one of Beijing’s man-made islands in the disputed South China Sea, saying it had tracked and warned the ship and called in the U.S. ambassador to protest. The USS Lassen’s patrol on Tuesday was the most significant U.S. challenge yet to the 12-nautical-mile territorial limits China claims around artificial islands it has built in the Spratly archipelago.Washington’s move followed months of deliberation by President Barack Obama’s administration and could ratchet up tension in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and increase strains in U.S.-China relations. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion of world trade passes every year. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Taiwan have rival claims.A U.S. defense official said the Lassen also went within 12-mile limits of features in the disputed sea claimed by Vietnam and the Philippines, a U.S. treaty ally. Such “freedom-of-navigation” patrols were expected to become more frequent, the official said. Reacting to the incident, a statement of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the action taken by the US warship has threatened China’s sovereignty and security interest, and has put the safety of personnel on the reefs in danger. Credit goes to Beijing for exercising maximum restraint in the face of extreme provocation. However, it is understood that China would not sit idle if such violations constituting serious breach of its sovereignty continue in future, the possibility of which is there in the wake of reports that Monday’s adventure was a planned move to test China over Sea claims. The situation is pregnant with serious consequences as the United States has declared its intention to continue naval incursions. The US Defence Secretary acknowledged during a Congressional hearing on Tuesday that there have been naval operations in the region in recent days and there will be more in days and weeks to come. There are reasons to believe that the United States, which has disturbed peace in different regions of the globe, is now poised to stir up yet another trouble. But this is a very dangerous approach with catastrophic consequences for the world peace as any misunderstanding or miscalculation could trigger nuclear war and holocaust. China is single-mindedly pursuing the policy of economic development as it has to feed over a billion population but some powers led by the policeman of the world are trying to scuttle its march forward. It is also loathsome that the United States is instigating some neighbours of China as well to become a party to anti-China moves. The US has a major responsibility as only super power of the world and it should behave like that.
pk.shafaqna.com