NUSA DUA—China on Saturday “guaranteed” freedom of navigation in the West Philippine Sea, as it came under renewed US pressure over its perceived aggression in the disputed waterway.
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi told his counterparts from around the Asia Pacific at a security forum in Indonesia that tensions between China and its rival claimants to the sea would not affect vital shipping trade.
“What I told the summit is that freedom of navigation in this region is guaranteed,” Yang said in a briefing to reporters after his speech.
“If there is no guarantee, how do we explain Asia’s economy is fast developing in the world’s economy? How do we explain Asia contributed to half of the world’s economy recovery?”
China claims all of the West Philippine Sea, also known as South China Sea, where shipping lanes link East Asia with Europe and the Middle East.
But the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have overlapping claims to parts of the sea, and the decades-long dispute has intensified in recent months amid complaints of increased Chinese aggression in the waters.
The Philippines and Vietnam have accused China of acts such as harassing oil exploration vessels, shooting or beating up their fisherman, and placing territorial markers on islets in the sea.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton voiced concern at the same forum on the Indonesian island of Bali on Saturday that “recent incidents” in the sea were a threat to regional peace and free passage in the shipping lanes.
“These incidents endanger the safety of life at sea, escalate tensions, undermine freedom of navigation, and pose risks to lawful unimpeded commerce and economic development,” Clinton said.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said Yang’s comments on freedom of navigation offered little comfort because China maintained its hardline position that no other country had any rights to the sea.
“How can you discuss anything bilaterally when you sit down with them and they say that they own everything?” he said.