The South China Sea is once again the source of tension. The Pentagon says "Concerned", Thursday, July 2, by holding Chinese military exercises around the Paracel Archipelago. These activities, which took place from 1er as of July 5, "Will further destabilize the situation" in this area, the defense ministry added in a statement. "These exercises also violate the commitments made by China in the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea."
This text signed by the ASEAN countries (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) provided that all parties "Would avoid activities which would complicate or aggravate disputes and threaten peace and security", notes the US military.
It's only "The latest in a long line of China's actions to assert illegal maritime claims and disadvantage its Asian neighbors in the South China Sea", continues the press release.
Zone claimed by China, Vietnam and Taiwan
In contrast, Washington says it only wants one "Free and open Indo-Pacific region, where all countries, big and small, are safe and sovereign, free from coercion and can develop their economy in accordance with international rules and standards".
The Pentagon, which calls "All parties to exercise restraint", warned that he "Will continue to monitor" Chinese military activities in the region.
Paracels are islands off the coast of China and Vietnam, claimed by these two countries and by Taiwan. They have been controlled for over 40 years by Beijing, which has militarized them by installing missiles in particular.
The US Navy regularly patrols this archipelago and that of the Spratleys, further south, to assert freedom of navigation in international waters, much to the chagrin of China, which regularly protests.
