Commentary: U.S.-called freedom of navigation is hegemonism in disguise

U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter has again declared that America would continue the "Freedom of Navigation" (FON) operation in South China Sea, regardless of the opposition of China and the international community.

The purpose of proposing the so-called FON program in 1979 under the Jimmy Carter administration was to maintain the United States' maritime hegemony, especially military supremacy.

Its decades-long evolution in the course of implementation have fully proved the hegemonic nature of the program, which challenges other countries' territorial claims and international interests in pursuit of America's own benefits.

The administration of George W. Bush released a document saying that the FON program aims at maintaining the smooth operation of the U.S. military in the world, an unclad exposition of abuse of military power by the United States.

Announcing the launch of the FON program, Carter, then U.S. president, said that in consideration of the U.S. prominent status in world affairs, it has to take active measures to defend its rights from being illegally eroded by other coastal countries.

Obviously, the so-called prominent status refers to nothing but the U.S. maritime military advantage, and "to defend its rights" also reaffirmed that the FON program was launched to ensure its own interests.

Also, the program deliberately blurred the distinction between commercial navigation and military operation.

Many coastal countries in the world limit others' military operations in their territorial waters to protect sovereignty and national security. The United States, however, often challenges their self-defensive moves under the excuse of the FON program, its own official documents show.

As the world's single maritime military superpower after the Cold War, the United States has silenced the protests of many other countries, either its "allies" or "competitors" with blatant hegemonic acts.

Raul Pedrozo, the official in the U.S. Department of Defense in charge of Maritime Security, said in October, "In Fiscal Year 2014, the United States challenged the excessive claims of seven allies, seven partner states, three competitors or adversaries, and two non-aligned states."

Washington's promotion of maritime militarization and threats of other countries' sovereignty and national security in the disguise of navigation freedom are against international laws.

It is urged that the United States should abandon the law of the jungle, respect others' sovereignty, and leave alone the South China Sea, so as to maintain peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and the entire world. Endi