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Adm. John C. "Lung" Aquilino pays respect during the 78th anniversary Pearl Harbor remembrance commemoration on Dec. 7 in Hawaii. (Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Aja B. Jackson/Navy) |
BANGKOK — China’s activities in territory it claims in the South China Sea are meant to intimidate other nations in the region, the commander of the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet said Friday.
Adm. John Aquilino said China's actions, including constructing islands
in the disputed waters, are intended to project its military capacity.
He told journalists at a briefing in the Thai capital Bangkok that in
addition to installing anti-aircraft and anti-ship missile systems and
radar jamming equipment, China has recently landed bombers on runways on
some of the man-made islands it built atop coral reefs and lagoons that
dot one of the world's busiest waterways.
He said it was clear that such installations
”absolutely have military purpose in order to present an optic to
partners and nations in the region that show military strength and
ultimately coerce and bully the nations in the region."
China’s vast territorial claims, far beyond its shores, have been challenged by other claimants, including Vietnam,
the Philippines and Malaysia. About $3 trillion worth of trade passes
each year through the South China Sea, and it is abundant with natural
resources, said Aquilino.
He called for China to "adhere to the international rights of all, in
accordance with international law, as recognized by all nations in the
region," and to respect that other countries can exercise their own
rights in the South China Sea.
The U.S. regularly runs naval and air patrols through the disputed areas to assert the right of unimpeded passage.
Aquilino said he sees the role of the U.S. is to "keep the nations and
the region secure" in close cooperation with its allies “who share same
values.”
"There's no doubt that the U.S. has stated that we are in competition
with the People's Republic of China. We have inherent disagreements
between ideologies," Aquilino said. He added, however that the
competition was not a conflict.
"The U.S. will cooperate where we can, and we'll compete where we must," he said.
China has criticized what it calls U.S. interference in the
Asia-Pacific region and insists it has sovereignty over virtually the
entire South China Sea based on historical rights. It has refused to
respect an international arbitration ruling in a case filed by the
Philippines that invalidated most of its territorial claims.
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