Premier Li Keqiang Said China Is Not Militarizing South China Sea
On Friday (March 24, 2017), Premier Li Keqiang said that China is not militarizing the South China Sea and explained that the equipment on the island was only placed to maintain the “Freedom of Navigation.”
Li said that China has placed their equipment on the island on the disputed waters to maintain their freedom from passing through the Philippine territorial waters. He also said that they were not invading the ‘West Philippine Sea’.
The Chinese Premier also explained that the development on the island was meant for civilian purposes only. Li release the statement to the Australian reporters after China draw criticism from foreign countries for large-scale building in the South China Sea.
“China’s facilities, Chinese islands, and reefs, are primarily for civilian purposes and, even if there is a certain amount of defense equipment or facilities, it is for maintaining the freedom of navigation,” said by Li quoted by ABS-CBN.
On July 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration declines China’s territorial claim in the disputed water and declared Scarborough Shoal is a common fishing ground, after blocking Filipino fishermen from entering the area.
The Philippines, Brunei, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Malaysia were also claiming sovereign rights on the strategic waterway. Worth $5-trillion of ship-borne trade p(–foul word(s) removed–) annually were obtained from the rich resources in the South China Sea.
3,200 acres (1,300 hectares) of land on seven features in the South China Sea has been added by China for the last 3 years on building aircraft hangars, ports, runways, and communication equipment, according to the United States (US).
A series of freedom-of-navigation operation has conducted by the United States in the South China Sea, which raises the tension between the two giant countries.
What can you say about Li’s statement? Do you really believe that China did not militarize the South China Sea?
