China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) urged the United States to stop “all dangerous provocations, saying that it is the fundamental solution needed to avoid maritime and air accidents.”
MND Spokesperson Senior Colonel Wu Qian said the comments in response to a reporter’s question about the recent 17th China-U.S. Defense Policy Coordination Talks during the ministry’s monthly briefing.
He also said that the root cause of the air and maritime issues between the two countries lies in the United States’ extensive, frequent, and prolonged activities China’s air and seaspace. Wu also urged the United States to cease all dangerous provocations, stop abusing international law, and to strictly discipline its military personnel who conduct the incidents.
Wu also said that both sides are restoring equal and respectful dialogue and maintain communications and coordination through the China-U.S. Military Maritime Consultative Agreement.
Wu’s comments come after the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Eastern Theater Command (ETC) released a statement via WeChat about the U.S.S. John Finn’s Taiwan Strait transit.
Wu’s comments came one day after the PLA’s ETC statement regarding the U.S.S. John Finn’s transit through the Taiwan Strait. However, Wu’s remarks were in response to a question about the coordination talks held between both countries. His answer indicate that China believes that since they restored mil-to-mil relations, the United States should stop the aerial or maritime transits through Chinese air and seaspace. This notion is further reinforced by Wu’s comments highlighting that the United States is abusing international law (from China’s point of view) while China is acting in accordance. His comments about the United States provocative actions could potentially lead to accidents is China warning the United States that they will be responsible for any incidents that may happen. The comments are also reinforced by when Wu highlighted that the root cause of the air and maritime issues between China and the United States is due the United States’ frequent activities.