U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry chided his Chinese counterpart over the feverish construction of man-made islands in the South China Sea. His concern was included in the meeting with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi held on the sidelines of the on-going security forum of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Kerry insists that the land reclamations in the Spratly archipelago increases tension, which prevents the effective and peaceful resolution of the territorial disputes.
Speaking later before the ASEAN ministers, Kerry said, "The United States shares the frequently expressed desire of ASEAN members to preserve the peace and stability of the South China Sea. We want to ensure the security of critical sea lanes and fishing grounds, and we want to see that disputes in the area are managed peacefully and on the basis of international law," US News reported.
Kerry also expressed the increasing U.S. concern on the growing militarization of the Chinese-held islands. Recent satellite images show that China has already completed building seven new artificial islands, one of which is outfitted with a 3,000 meter airstrip, capable of accommodating military aircrafts. The Chinese aggressive activities have infuriated neighboring claimants, prompting an acceleration of maritime build-up, which Reuters noted, raises the risk of armed confrontation over the contested waters.
