US responsible for tensions in the South China Sea, says China

NEW DELHI: A day after India and USA held their maiden maritime dialogue here that among other issues focused on stability in the sea lanes of communication in Asia, China on Tuesday held America responsible for tensions in the South China Sea (SCS) area and accused Washington of interfering in the region to contain Beijing.

Launching a campaign for the first time in India to highlight China's standpoint on its claims in the SCS that has come under criticism from international community, a group of state sponsored scholars gathered here Tuesday on at a seminar to emphasise on the what they described "historically rightful claims of Beijing" on the islands and resources in SCS. Chinese scholars have made presentations in other countries on SCS and this was their first such attempt in India.

While India is not a direct stakeholder in the SCS territorial disputes Delhi over past few years have been asking for upholding freedom of navigation and overflight in SCS and spoke against use of unilateral moves in the region that will impact stability in the area in what could be described as an indirect jibe at Beijing.

Explaining Beijing's position at the meet Visiting Chinese scholar Ye Hailin stressed that China has claim over SCS since the period of Ching dynasty. "Taiwan is a part of china so all territories under it including SCS belong to mainland China. All these islands and islets belong to mainland China."

Hailin suggested that all territorial disputes over sovereignty of territories in SCS where regional countries also have claims must be solved bilaterally. He alleged that China deployed defence system system in SCS to safeguard its economic interests, people, fishermen amid US moves to challenge China.

While compared to Vietnam and Philippines Beijing is powerful but China's militarisation is due to presence of USA military presence in the region.

Expressing similar sentiments Dr Hong Non, another Chinese scholar alleged that extra regional players like USA is in SCS.

Go shi Jung president of China's SCS Institute, often described as key brain behind China's historical claims, suggested that China would like to work with other claimants for freedom of navigation in SCS. He further spoke of bilateral approach and friendly relation among claimants to solve SCS.

He also claimed that USA is using SCS as a tool to contain China first through Vietnam and now through Philippines.

Countering Chinese claims regional experts pointed out that Beijing has upped the ante weeks ahead of UN tribunal verdict in China vs Philippines case on SCS entitlements.

The experts noted while there are six claimants to the SCS territories, China wants to deal bilaterally with five claimants including Vietnam and Philippines to address the disputes. The experts also told ET that China is creative artificial islands through force to claim Exclusive Economic Zone of other countries including Vietnam and Philippines.