JUNE 4 (Reuters) — China said on Wednesday (June 3) that it was shocked by Philippine President Benigno Aquino’s comparison between Chinese activities in the South China Sea and Nazi Germany’s expansionism, calling it “absurd” and “unreasonable”.
Aquino, who is expected to agree beefed up defense ties with Japan when he meets Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo on Thursday (June 4), also urged Beijing to rethink its land reclamation projects in the disputed waters.
Asked about Washington’s strategic “rebalanced” to Asia and China’s maritime moves, Aquino suggested the U.S. role was key, and alluded to Nazi Germany’s territorial expansion before World War Two and Western appeasement.
Recalling documentaries on Germany’s expansionism before the war, Aquino added “If somebody said stop to (Adolf) Hitler at that point in time, or to Germany at that time, could we have avoided World War Two?'”
China’s Foreign Ministry expressed shock at the “absurd and unreasonable” remarks by Aquino, which were similar to ones he made last year.
“I have also noticed relevant reports. I am deeply shocked at the absurd and unreasonable remarks by the relevant Philippine leader and express my strong dissatisfaction and opposition. A review of the unfolding of the South China Sea disputes tells us it is the Philippines that has been illegally occupying some islets of China’s Nansha Islands (Spratlys Islands) by force since the 1990s,” the ministry’s spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular news conference in Beijing.
“The Chinese government’s resolution and will to safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests is firm and unshakable. I once more seriously warn certain people in the Philippines to cast aside their illusions and repent, stop provocations and instigation, and return to the correct path of using bilateral channels to talk and resolve this dispute,” she added.
The Philippine leader also said Beijing’s South China Sea land reclamation projects appeared to violate an international agreement.
China has been taking an increasingly assertive posture in recent years in the South China Sea, building artificial islands in areas where Manila and other Southeast Asian countries have rival claims.