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Top US military officer to visit China amid South China Sea row
A top US naval commander is likely to visit to Beijing next week to hold talks with Chinese counterparts even as the two countries grapple with the issue of an American warship entering the South China Sea on Tuesday in what China called a “provocation”.
A top US naval commander is likely to visit to Beijing next week to hold talks with Chinese counterparts even as the two countries grapple with the issue of an American warship entering the South China Sea on Tuesday in what China called a “provocation”.
Reports in the international and state media suggested that Harry Harris, commander of the US Pacific Command, will be in Beijing in the first week of November for talks even as the Chinese government continued through the week to condemn the US action.
The diplomatic controversy broke out on Tuesday when the guided missile destroyer USS Lassen entered waters of the South China Sea near Zhubi Reef, apparently without the permission of the Chinese government. China protested immediately and within hours summoned the US Ambassador to China Max Baucus to the ministry of foreign affairs to register its strong displeasure.
A media report on the US general’s visit quoted an anonymous official as saying the two sides are expected to discuss bilateral military exchanges and that “boosting exchanges could build trust between the navies of the two countries” and help “avoid unintended clashes”.
Teng Jianqun, a senior research fellow on US studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the state-controlled China Daily newspaper that the visit “must have been a part of the annual plan of bilateral military exchanges”.
“China’s South China Sea policies won’t be changed because of the incident on Tuesday, and China’s efforts in championing a rise in interest will continue in a decent and well-founded manner,” Teng told the newspaper.
“Especially, this could help the US side better perceive and understand China’s actions in the South China Sea to champion legal rights and interests, have further recognition of China’s islands constructions, and avoid misunderstanding or miscalculation,” Zhang Junshe with the PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute said.
Meanwhile, two Australian warships will take part in naval drills with the Chinese navy in the South China Sea next week.
Australia’s defence minister Marise Payne said in Sydney on Thursday that the HMAS Stuart and HMAS Arunta will visit China’s main South China Sea base of Zhanjiang in the southern province of Guangdong ahead of drills scheduled for early next week.
“The Royal Australian Navy has a long history of engagement with regional navies and regularly conducts port visits and exercises - including in China,” Payne said in a statement.
