Hanoi artillery report brings Beijing reproval
Updated: 2016-08-11 01:34
By MO JINGXI(China Daily)
|
|||||||||
China emphasized its opposition on Wednesday to Vietnam's military deployments on islands that the country has illegally occupied in the South China Sea, following the reported deployment of rocket launchers by Vietnam on several of the Nansha Islands.
The move, which shows a further stage of Hanoi's militarization of the Nansha Islands, will have a negative impact on regional peace and stability, observers said.
Intelligence shows that Hanoi has shipped the launchers to five bases in the Nansha Islands in recent months, Reuters reported on Wednesday.
The launchers have been hidden from aerial surveillance and have yet to be armed, but could be made operational with artillery rockets within two or three days, it said.
Foreign officials and military analysts told Reuters that they believe the launchers form part of Vietnam's state-of-the-art EXTRA artillery rocket system, which was recently acquired from Israel.
"China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and their surrounding waters," the Foreign Ministry's Spokesperson's Office said in a written reply on Wednesday.
"China has always firmly opposed the illegal occupation of parts of China's Nansha Islands and reefs by certain countries and their illegal construction and military deployments on these islands and reefs," it said.
Vietnam's Foreign Ministry said the information was "inaccurate" but did not elaborate.
Vietnam has illegally occupied 29 of about 50 islands and reefs in the South China Sea.
It has conducted construction and reclamation work on more than 20 of them since the 1980s, and the scale of the reclamation has increased in the past two years.
It also has built infrastructure, including runways and barracks, on the islands and reefs.
Jia Duqiang, a senior researcher on Southeast Asian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said it is Hanoi's latest effort to tighten its hold on islands in the South China Sea.
"By fortifying the islands with rocket launchers, Vietnam is keeping up its militarization of the region in a more aggressive way," he said.
Xu Liping, another Southeast Asian studies researcher with CASS, said Hanoi is trying to emphasize its determination to strengthen its illegal occupation of the islands.
mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn
Related Stories
New lab will explore South China Sea resources 2016-08-09 08:00
Chinese military aircraft patrol South China Sea 2016-08-07 07:59
Candid thoughts on South China Sea disputes 2016-08-06 09:33
China, Russia navies to hold drill in South China Sea 2016-07-28 19:53
South China Sea video draws huge response in Times Square 2016-07-27 11:02
Time to turn the page in South China Sea 2016-07-27 07:29
Today's Top News
Ukraine denies attempted troop invasion of Crimea
Solidarity called to firefighters facing wildfires
Eurostar train staff to strike for seven days: UK union
Trump's gun rights comments ignite firestorm
China consumer prices up 1.8% in July
Video introduces G20 city Hangzhou to Europe
Leaders of Iran, Azerbaijan seek to boost trade
Storm in Macedonia kills at least 17
Hot Topics
Lunar probe , China growth forecasts, Emission rules get tougher, China seen through 'colored lens', International board,
Editor's Picks
Hollywood snaps up rock star's dog film |
Chinese people welcome dispossessed |
The can-do generation to the fore |
Riding the wave |
Leisure giants buoy cruise market |
She followed her heart |