US fleet urged to be responsible after renaming

China urged the United States on Thursday to act responsibly in the Asia-Pacific region and play a constructive role in promoting peace and stability, no matter what it calls its military forces.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying made the comment in a news conference on Thursday after the US Pacific Command was renamed the US Indo-Pacific Command in a ceremony on Wednesday in Hawaii. During the ceremony, Admiral Harry Harris turned over the reins of command to Admiral Phil Davidson.

Harris was quoted by CNN as saying China remains the “biggest long-term challenge” to the US and that “without focused involvement and engagement by the United States and our allies and partners, China will realize its dream of hegemony in Asia”.

Harris’ comments were “another typical example of gauging, through one’s own mindset, what other people may think. Those who are obsessed with, and chasing after hegemony, always believe that others covet their hegemony”, Hua said.

“China has declared solemnly in public, multiple times, that its development will not pose a threat to any other country,” she said. “China will never seek hegemony or expansion in whatever stage of its development.”

Defense Ministry spokesman Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang also spoke against Harris’ “unfounded accusation” and urged the US to do more to help develop ties between the US and Chinese militaries.

Harris’ comments came on the heels of remarks by US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

Mattis said on Tuesday the US would continue to confront what he called China’s militarization of islands in the South China Sea, Reuters reported, and that he would have strong words for China when he goes to Singapore for the Shangri-La Dialogue.

Hyping the so-called militarization is like when a thief shouts “stop thief ”, Hua said.

The extent of the US military presence in the South China Sea far exceeds that of China and other countries bordering the waters, Hua said.

The answer to who exactly is promoting “militarization” in the South China Sea is selfevident, Hua said.

“China is not the first country to have deployed weapons in the South China Sea, nor is it the country that has deployed the most weapons in the region, let alone the country that has most frequently conducted military activities in the region,” she said.