US is playing a 'destructive role' by interfering in South China sea dispute: Chinese daily

Beijing: Accusing the US of playing “extremely destructive role” by wading into the South China Sea dispute, a flagship Chinese daily on Wednesday said Washington has “chosen a wrong opponent” to make forays into the region and Beijing will not let Washington “have its way”. [caption id=“attachment_2850176” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] South China Sea. AFP[/caption] “Conveying a so-called message about security through the exhibition of military might and furthermore describing the events as an act of deterrence is something that the US has done far too many times,” the ruling Communist Party’s official mouthpiece People’s Daily said in a commentary. “Regardless of how many times it may have gone smoothly in other parts of the world the US has chosen the wrong opponent by selecting China for this type of game. Behind all of this is lack of patience and brassy moves and it also reveals a nature of hegemony beneath the surface,” it said. “Statements from high ranking officials in the US military as well as the aircraft carrier drills themselves once again demonstrate that the US is definitely not a regional security safeguard, and instead precisely a trouble maker. In the regard of the South China Sea issue, the US is playing an extremely destructive role,” it said. “China will continue to maintain strict supervision of the sea area conditions and will take appropriate measures should there be any incidences, and defend against the occurrence of situations that harm Chinese territorial sovereignty or security benefits,” it said. China will not let other countries have their way with their temper or to act arbitrarily regardless of the rules in the regard of South China Sea stability, it warned. China is locked up in a maritime dispute with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan over the South China Sea. The resource-rich South China Sea is the main maritime link between the Pacific and Indian ocean, giving it enormous trade and military value. The sea connects East Asia with Europe and the Middle East and over $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes through the sea annually. Beijing is concerned over US backing the smaller states to challenge China to assert their rights. “The United States is a country outside the territory of the South China Sea, coming from one side of the Pacific Ocean all the way to the other side of the Pacific Ocean to demonstrate their military power is for the purpose of intensifying the situation and to provoke disturbances and break peaceful stability and then to fish in troubled water and make an effort to maintain hegemony thereat at all costs. “This deceitful business is despised in the regard of international law, and it is also harmful to the security benefits of the country,” it said.