US top diplomat talks South China Sea with China
MANILA, Philippines — In his first visit to Beijing, US State Secretary Mike Pompeo reiterated Washington's concern over the militarization of features in the South China Sea.
Washington's top diplomat visited China after US President Donald Trump's meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore.
In a press briefing, Pompeo said Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi confirmed China's willingness to resolve the South China Sea dispute in a peaceful manner.
"As Councilor Yang mentioned, I reaffirmed our concern with respect to China’s efforts to build a militarized outpost in the South China Sea, endangering the free flow of trade and threatening the sovereignty of other nations and undermining regional stability," Pompeo said.
Pompeo added that he was confident that the US and China could work together to resolve the dispute "without resort to threats, coercion or intimidation."
The US has been insistent on its position against China's expanding militarization in the South China Sea.
The US Department of Defense withdrew its invitation for China in the 2018 Rim of the Pacific Exercise as an "initial response" to the latter's deployment of anti-cruise ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles and electronic jamming equipment in the Spratly Islands.
China's landing of a nuclear-capable bomber on Woody Island in the Paracels also caused alarm for the US.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, insisted that the weapons on the artificial islands are not directed to any country.
Beijing accused Washington of "hyping" the South China Sea issue.
"We urge certain people in the US to give up all the meaningless hyping up surrounding the situation and do more in a responsible way to enhance trust and cooperation between regional countries and promote regional peace and stability," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said earlier this month.
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