How are US actions turning South China Sea into an arms race hub?

Question

Accepted Answer

Chinese vice foreign minister says US deployment is turning the South China Sea into a “whirlpool of an arms race”
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong said the United States is turning the South China Sea into an arms race hub through its military deployment and related activities in the area. He described US-led forces as promoting military deployment and actions that incite and intensify maritime disputes, and he cited a US plan to deploy medium-range missile systems as a key factor dragging the region into an arms race. Sun also linked these developments to a wider risk of geopolitical conflict across the Asia Pacific.
US military deployment is described as increasing maritime disputes
Sun said the biggest security challenge in the South China Sea comes “from outside the region,” pointing to the United States. He said US-led forces are promoting military deployment and actions that incite and intensify maritime disputes and “contradictions,” while damaging the legitimate rights and interests of coastal countries.
A US move to deploy medium-range missile systems is singled out
Sun specifically argued that the United States moving to deploy medium-range missile systems in the area is “dragging the region into the whirlpool of an arms race.” He added that this would place the entire Asia Pacific region under the shadow of geopolitical conflicts.
Recent China-Philippines run-ins are framed as making the sea a flashpoint
The remarks placed recent maritime run-ins between China and the Philippines—an ally with a US treaty relationship—within the context of a potential flashpoint between Washington and Beijing. The Philippines accused China in April of escalating “its harassment” while asserting its sovereign rights in the South China Sea.
China’s policing of its claims and repeated clashes are part of the dispute environment
China claims almost the entire South China Sea and has deployed hundreds of coast guard vessels as far as 1,000 km off its mainland to police what it says is its jurisdiction. The Philippines and China have repeatedly sparred near disputed features within Manila’s exclusive economic zone, while the United States has said it stands with Manila.

Reading history

Hide →

This history is cleared when the page is closed.

How are US actions turning South China Sea into an arms race hub?

Loading

Was this article helpful?

Helpful

Not helpful

Report an issue

1

0

0

Share with friends