China to continue island building
Xinhua, November 23, 2015
China will continue to build military and civilian facilities on its artificial islands in the South China Sea, it said yesterday, as it warned other countries not to "deliberately stir up trouble" there.
"Building and maintaining necessary military facilities, this is what is required for China's national defense and for the protection of those islands and reefs," Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin told a news conference in Kuala Lumpur.
China planned to "expand and upgrade" civilian facilities on the islands "to better serve commercial ships, fishermen, to help distressed vessels and provide more public services," Liu said, adding that China rejects the notion it is militarizing the South China Sea. He said China had mostly built civilian facilities there.
Liu was speaking at a press briefing on the sidelines of the 27th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Malaysia.
The briefing was held hours after Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, who attended the summits, raised a five-pronged proposal to uphold and promote peace and stability in the South China Sea and called on countries outside the region to refrain from taking actions that may cause tension in the area.
Liu said the construction of facilities, mainly civilian ones, on seven of its islands and reefs is essential to improve the quality of life and work for personnel on the islands and to provide high-quality public services that will also benefit surrounding countries.
He said 42 of China's islands and reefs in the region are being illegally occupied by its three neighboring countries.
"To build necessary military defense facilities on islands far away from our mainland is both required by the national defense need and the need to safeguard our islands and reefs," Liu said. "They should not be mistaken for the militarization of the South China Sea.
"Some major countries outside the region are exercising their so-called freedom of navigation by sending airplanes and warships while strengthening military cooperation with countries in the region. Is that a trend of militarization?" he said, urging heightened alert against it. "Don't make troubles on purpose," he warned.
China voiced "strong discontent" over the recent intrusion of a US warship in waters near China's Nansha Islands. Calling such an act "political provocation," Liu said that when exercising freedom of navigation in and above the South China Sea, countries concerned need to respect the sovereignty and security of countries along the coast.
More than 100,000 ships from many countries around the world sail safely and freely through the South China Sea each year. China has held that disputes should be addressed by the countries directly concerned through friendly consultation and peaceful negotiation, with peace and stability in the South China Sea being jointly maintained by China and ASEAN countries.
China to continue island building- China.org.cn
