MAY 22 (Reuters) — China’s land reclamation around reefs in the disputed South China Sea is undermining freedom and stability, and risks provoking tension that could even lead to conflict, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken told a conference in Jakarta on Wednesday (May 20).
China claims 90 percent of the South China Sea, which is believed to be rich in oil and gas, its claims overlapping with those of Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan.
Recent satellite images suggest China has made rapid progress in filling in land in contested territory in the Spratlys islands and in building an airstrip suitable for military use and that it may be planning another.
“Its behavior threatens to set a new precedent whereby larger countries are free to intimidate smaller ones, and that provokes tension, instability and can even lead to conflict,” Blinken said.
The United States and China clashed over the dispute on Saturday, when visiting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urged China to take action to reduce tension. China said its determination to protect its interests was “as hard as a rock.”
“We will continue to encourage all claimants to resolve their differences in accordance with international norms,” Blinken said.
The territorial dispute is seen by many as one of Asia’s most dangerous hot spots, posing risks that it could result in conflict as countries stake their claims. (Jakarta, Indonesia)