Military calls naval exercise ‘routine’
The Chinese Navy’s recent large-scale training exercise in the South China Sea is “normal and routine” and was not intended to target any third party, the Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang, the ministry’s spokesman, made the remark in response to media inquiries about recent satellite photos taken by the United States showing that aircraft and about 40 vessels from the People’s Liberation Army Navy, including the CNS Liaoning aircraft carrier, traveling in formation in the South China Sea.
“The exercise is part of this year’s planned training to improve combat capabilities. It is normal and routine and does not target any certain country or party,” Ren said in a news conference.
He emphasized that China’s military policies are defensive in nature, and its military construction will not threaten regional and world peace.
The naval exercise came amid growing tension between China and the US. On March 23, China dispatched the Type 054A guided-missile frigate CNS Huangshan, and Type 056 corvette CNS Liupanshui to identify and warn off the US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin after it “trespassed” into waters around China’s islands and reefs in the South China Sea.
“The fact that the US has continuously sent its naval ships to trespass in these waters has severely jeopardized China’s sovereignty and security, undermined basic principles in international relations, as well as regional peace and stability,” Ren said in a online statement at the time.
On Thursday, Ren urged the US to see the big picture of Sino-US military relations and transform it into a stabilizing factor for developing
overall relations between the two countries.
Last week, US President Donald Trump proposed tariffs on up to $60 billion of imports from China as well as harsher restrictions on Chinese investments in the US, triggering concerns across the globe of a trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
Before the proposed tariffs, Trump had signed a controversial Taiwan-related travel bill into law that encourages reciprocal visits between Tai- wan and the US by officials at all levels, including visits by military officials.
Following Trump’s signature on the law, two US officials — Alex Wong, deputy assistant secretary of the State Department's Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and Ed Royce, House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, visited Taiwan.
China has strongly criticized the bill and visits, saying they have increased friction in cross-Straits and Sino-US relations for undermining China’s sovereignty.
“We resolutely oppose any countries, including the US, having any official interactions with Taiwan,” Ren said on Thursday in response to the visits.
“Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, and the Chinese military has enough confidence and capability to protect its territorial integrity. All efforts to resist Taiwan’s reunification are futile,” he added.
Liu Deshou, a researcher on US foreign policy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the recent spike in Sino-US tensions might be the Trump administration’s way of fulfilling its campaign promise of being tough on China, which can garner more voter support before the upcoming midterm congressional elections in November.
“The trade deficits, as well as issues regarding Taiwan and the South China Sea, are all cliche problems that have been discussed for years,” she said. “What is more important is for both sides to be calm and see that, while frictions are inevitable, there is still much to be gained through dialogue and cooperation.”