China tells US to keep out of South China Sea disputes

Obama demandeds China end artificial island building

AFP, BEIJING: Beijing said Wednesday US President Barack Obama should not get involved in disputes in the South China Sea, after he demanded an end to artificial island building in the hotly contested region.
“The United States should stop playing up the South China Sea issue, stop heightening tensions in the South China Sea and stop complicating disputes in the South China Sea,” Hong Lei, a foreign ministry spokesman, said at a regular press briefing in Beijing. “No country has the right to point fingers at” China’s construction activities, he added.
The rebuke came after Obama met with Philippine President Benigno Aquino in Manila during the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) gathering.
Beijing has turned a series of reefs and outcrops in disputed waters into artificial islands capable of hosting facilities with military purposes, alarming other claimants. “We discussed the impact of China’s land reclamation and construction activities on regional stability,” Obama told reporters after meeting. “We agree on the need for bold steps to lower tensions, including pledging to halt further reclamation, new construction, and militarisation of disputed areas in the South China Sea.”
APEC members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have rival claims to parts of the sea, which is believed to sit atop vast oil and gas resources.
Beijing claims nearly all of the South China Sea, even waters approaching the coasts of its Asian neighbours.
Earlier, US President Barack Obama on Wednesday demanded China end artificial island building in the hotly contested South China Sea, upping the pressure on Beijing at a regional leaders’ summit.
The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) gathering is meant to forge unity on trade among 21 Pacific rim economies that group three billion people. But the territorial row over the strategically vital South China Sea, as well as terrorism concerns following last week’s deadly Paris rampage, have dominated the build-up to this year’s meeting in the Philippines.
China has repeatedly insisted its disputes with its Asian neighbours over the sea, home to some of the world’s most important shipping routes, should not be on the APEC agenda.
But just hours before the two-day summit started, Obama voiced concerns over giant land reclamation works by China that have created new islands close to the Philippines.
“We discussed the impact of China’s land reclamation and construction activities on regional stability,” Obama told reporters after meeting Philippine President Benigno Aquino.
“We agree on the need for bold steps to lower tensions, including pledging to halt further reclamation, new construction, and militarisation of disputed areas in the South China Sea.”
On Tuesday, Obama also announced more than $250 million in maritime aid to its Southeast Asian allies—including a warship for the Philippines. China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, even waters approaching the coasts of its Asian neighbours.
APEC members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have rival claims to parts of the sea, which is believed to sit atop vast oil and gas resources.

China tells US to keep out of South China Sea disputes

Obama demandeds China end artificial island building

AFP, BEIJING: Beijing said Wednesday US President Barack Obama should not get involved in disputes in the South China Sea, after he demanded an end to artificial island building in the hotly contested region. The United States should stop playing up the South China Sea issue, stop heightening tensions in the South China Sea and stop complicating disputes in the South China Sea, Hong Lei, a foreign ministry spokesman, said at a regular press briefing in Beijing. No country has the right to point fingers at Chinas construction activities, he added. The rebuke came after Obama met with Philippine President Benigno Aquino in Manila during the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) gathering. Beijing has turned a series of reefs and outcrops in disputed waters into artificial islands capable of hosting facilities with military purposes, alarming other claimants. We discussed the impact of Chinas land reclamation and construction activities on regional stability, Obama told reporters after meeting. We agree on the need for bold steps to lower tensions, including pledging to halt further reclamation, new construction, and militarisation of disputed areas in the South China Sea. APEC members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have rival claims to parts of the sea, which is believed to sit atop vast oil and gas resources. Beijing claims nearly all of the South China Sea, even waters approaching the coasts of its Asian neighbours. Earlier, US President Barack Obama on Wednesday demanded China end artificial island building in the hotly contested South China Sea, upping the pressure on Beijing at a regional leaders summit. The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) gathering is meant to forge unity on trade among 21 Pacific rim economies that group three billion people. But the territorial row over the strategically vital South China Sea, as well as terrorism concerns following last weeks deadly Paris rampage, have dominated the build-up to this years meeting in the Philippines. China has repeatedly insisted its disputes with its Asian neighbours over the sea, home to some of the worlds most important shipping routes, should not be on the APEC agenda. But just hours before the two-day summit started, Obama voiced concerns over giant land reclamation works by China that have created new islands close to the Philippines. We discussed the impact of Chinas land reclamation and construction activities on regional stability, Obama told reporters after meeting Philippine President Benigno Aquino. We agree on the need for bold steps to lower tensions, including pledging to halt further reclamation, new construction, and militarisation of disputed areas in the South China Sea. On Tuesday, Obama also announced more than $250 million in maritime aid to its Southeast Asian alliesincluding a warship for the Philippines. China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, even waters approaching the coasts of its Asian neighbours. APEC members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have rival claims to parts of the sea, which is believed to sit atop vast oil and gas resources.