US DEFENCE CHIEF WARNS CHINA, CITING CRIMEA EXAMPLE
TOKYO: Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel on Sunday warned China against unilateral action to resolve territorial disputes with its neighbours, drawing a parallel with Russia’s incursion in Ukraine as he announced two more warships would be sent to Japan.
Seeking to reassure Washington’s longtime ally Japan, Hagel’s remarks and promise of more missile defence ships came as Tokyo faces a tense row with Beijing over islands in the East China Sea.
“All nations deserve respect, no matter how large or how small,” Hagel said during a visit to Tokyo. “I think we’re seeing some clear evidence of a lack of respect, and coercion and intimidation with ... what the Russians have done in Ukraine,” he told a news conference.
Countries had to speak up and reject such a blatant violation of international law, said Hagel, referring to Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula.
And in a veiled reference to China and its territorial arguments with Asian neighbours, Hagel said smaller countries had the same sovereign rights as larger states.
“You cannot go around and redefine boundaries, violate territorial integrity and sovereignty of nations by force, coercion and intimidation -- whether it’s in small islands in the Pacific, or large nations in Europe,” Hagel said. “So I want to talk to our Chinese friends about this,” said the defence secretary, who departs for Beijing on Monday.