EU sides with US over ship patrol in South China Sea
Iran Press TV
Fri Oct 30, 2015 5:47PM
The European Union has sided with Washington over an incident in which a US warship approached a group of man-made islands in the South China Sea, which caused strong reaction from Beijing.
A senior EU official, whose name was not mentioned, said at a briefing on Friday that Washington is exercising "freedom of navigation."
A US Navy spokesman, speaking on condition of anonymity, also said the patrol was part of the US freedom of navigation operations meant to "protect the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea and airspace guaranteed to all nations under international law."
The EU official also stated that the 28-member bloc is concerned about Beijing's plans to build new islands in the contested waters.
Beijing has yet to specify the exact legal status of its maritime claims, and claims almost the entire South China Sea area. Other states like Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam, some of them major US allies, also claim either parts or all of the sea.
Officials in Washington reject China's claims about the islands, saying the artificial reefs and islets cannot be considered sovereign territory.
"Whilst not taking a position on claims, the EU is committed to a maritime order based upon the principles of international law, in particular as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)," an EU foreign affairs spokesman, whose name was not mentioned, said in a statement.
On October 27, the guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen sailed within 12 nautical miles (22 kilometers) of one of the artificial islands in the South China Sea. After the incident, China summoned the United States ambassador to Beijing, Max Baucus, to hear Beijing's strong criticism of the naval patrol.
Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Colonel Yang Yujun said in a statement released on Thursday that Beijing "would urge the US not to continue down the wrong path."
"But if the US side does continue, we will take all necessary measures according to the need."
Lu Kang, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, also condemned the patrol of US warship in the South China Sea.
"We strongly urge the US side to treat seriously China's protests, immediately correct its wrongdoing, not adopt any dangerous and provocative acts, threatening China's sovereignty and security interests, and keep its commitment of not taking sides in sovereignty disputes to avoid further harms to China-US ties and regional peace and stability," said Lu Kang.
The US has accused Beijing of undergoing what it calls a land reclamation program in the South China Sea by building artificial islands in the disputed areas.
According to international law permits, military vessels have the right of "innocent passage" in transiting other countries' seas without notification. China says it respects the right of navigation but insists that actions such as the entry of USS Lassen destroyer into territorial limits are illegal.
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