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China Sea deployments no different from that of US on Hawaii: Official

Iran Press TV

Mon Feb 22, 2016 3:6PM

The Chinese Foreign Ministry says Beijing's military deployments in the South China Sea are no different from that of US on Hawaii.

'China's deploying necessary, limited defensive facilities on its own territory is not substantively different from the United States defending Hawaii,' Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a news briefing on Monday.

Hawaii is internationally recognized as a state of the United States of America. However, there is critique regarding the international legality of Hawaii status.

Elsewhere in her remarks, Hua also hit back at accusations by US officials that Beijing is creating tension in the region by building military facilities on the islands, saying it is Washington that's raising tensions through conducting frequent naval and air operations in the disputed waters.

'The US is not involved in the South China Sea dispute, and this is not and should not become a problem between China and the United States,' she added.

In recent months, tensions have been rising between Washington and Beijing over the situation in the disputed waters. Washington and its allies accuse Beijing of militarization of the South China Sea, while China puts the blame on US provocations there.

A senior US navy official has recently called for international naval operations in the South China Sea to tackle Beijing's alleged expansionism.

US Secretary of State John Kerry has also voiced concern over China's "militarization" of the region.

The South China Sea has become a source of tension between China, the US, and some regional countries seeking control of trade routes and mineral deposits.

Washington and China's rivals have been accusing Beijing of attempting to take advantage of the situation and gradually assert control in the South China Sea.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said such reports are fabricated by Western media, and that the deployment of "limited and necessary national defense facilities on China's own territory" does not mean the militarization of the disputed waters.

Beijing accuses Washington of meddling in the regional issues and deliberately stirring up tensions in the South China Sea.

The disputed islands are claimed by countries such as Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei.