Commentary: Accusing China of militarizing South China Sea islands aims to destabilize regional situation

Claims saying that China is militarizing the South China Sea islands and reefs through construction efforts are aimed at escalating tensions and destabilizing the situation in the Asia-Pacific.

First, China never seeks to militarize those islands and reefs through construction efforts. Whether they are militarized depends on for what purpose the infrastructure construction is conducted.

In fact, China's construction efforts include not only necessary defensive facilities, but also those most dedicated to civilian infrastructure, which are to help facilitate the navigation of civil planes and ships in the region.

Such purpose is also in accordance with the international duties and obligations of China as a major country in the region and the world.

Second, not seeking to militarize South China Sea islands and reefs does not mean not to set up defenses.

By building defense facilities on China-owned islands and reefs, China is actually exercising the rights of self-preservation and self-defense, which are safeguarded by international laws.

The Nansha Islands have been China's inherent territories and all Chinese descendants have the obligation to defend the sovereign land. The scale of defense facilities on the islands depends on to what extent China's sovereignty is threatened.

Third, in contrast to China's normal activities on its own territory, some countries' constructing infrastructure and even deploying weapons on China's islands and reefs are unlawful and unacceptable.

For instance, the Philippines has built and expanded an airport on China's Zhongye Dao, and built a dock and other facilities on the island. It has also built so-called tourism facilities on Zhongye Dao, Mahuan Dao, Feixin Dao and other islands and reefs.

Vietnam has also carried out large-scale reclamation on more than 20 maritime features of China's Nansha Islands, and simultaneously built on them a considerable amount of fixed facilities such as harbor basins, an airstrip, missile bases, office buildings, barracks and hotels.

Some countries, especially the United States, have neglected the above-mentioned facts but criticized China for its construction efforts on its own islands. The real purpose is to destabilize the regional situation and reach their own strategic goals.

Through exaggerating the influence of China's normal activities, the United States intends to force other countries in the region to focus on the issue and make military preparations for "potential" risks. Escalated tensions will give Uncle Sam a strategic pivot for its rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific, a situation any peace-loving nation would not like to see.

On solving maritime territorial disputes, it is advisable that concerned countries seek peaceful means through negotiations while jointly safeguarding peace and stability on the South China Sea.

Any attempts to disturb the South China Sea and destabilize Asia would not be allowed by China and most other countries in the region. Besides, muddying the waters in the Asia-Pacific, a main driving force of the world economy, will not benefit Washington after all. Endi