Chinese FM heads to US to hold talks with Kerry
February 23, 2016, 5:29 am

Wang is due to meet Kerry on Tuesday [Xinhua]

Washington has said it will ignore any Chinese claim for territorial waters based on new man-made islands, and has flown a surveillance plane with television crews to film the dredging work in the disputed waters.

“We hope that China and the US will arrange high-level exchanges and dialogues for 2016, discuss practical cooperation and the handling of sensitive issues to promote the sustainable, healthy and stable growth of bilateral relations through the visit,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Monday.

“China and the US are expected to exchange views on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue during Wang’s visit,” Hua said, adding there is ongoing communication between the two sides over the issue.

The UN Security Council is discussing sanctions against North Korea over its recent nuclear test and satellite launch using ballistic missile technology.

Although, China supports the UN Security Council adopting a new and strong resolution against North Korea, it is strongly opposed to South Korea-US preparations for the possible deployment of an advanced US missile defense system.

Beijing has urged relevant parties to avoid actions that could escalate tensions, Hua said.

“The deployment of the THAAD system by the United States … goes far beyond the defense needs of the Korean Peninsula and the coverage would mean it will reach deep into the Asian continent,” Foreign Minister Wang has said earlier.

“It directly affects the strategic security interests of China and other Asian countries,” he added.

Wang-Kerry talks on Tuesday will also include the international response to North Korea’s recent nuclear test and rocket launch, cyber security and climate change, Toner told a regular news briefing.

Meanwhile, Beijing has indicated it is in no mood to back down on the South China Sea dispute.

When asked about the message that China will send to the US on the South China Sea issue, Hua said the US should honor its commitment of taking no position on competing territorial claims and stop playing up the issue or creating tension.

China’s South China Sea military deployments are no different from U.S. deployments on Hawaii, the Foreign Ministry insisted.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua pointed out that the US is not a party involved in the South China Sea dispute while criticising the US for stirring ‘hype’ over the “militarization” of the South China Sea.

“The U.S. side is misusing the concept. The deployment of defense facilities on China’s own territory is no different from what U.S. does in Hawaii.”

U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the United States would “press China to deescalate and stop its militarization” in the South China Sea.

TBP and Agencies