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US proposal on South China Sea unconstructive

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[By Zhai Haijun/China.org.cn]

It is simply an unconstructive idea for U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to call for a "freeze" on actions in the South China Sea at an ASEAN foreign minister's meeting in Myanmar at the weekend.

The U.S. proposal sounds good but may be counterproductive in fact.

In the first place, it exaggerated the maritime tensions in the region and would complicate the ongoing efforts by relevant parties to calm down the waves in the South China Sea.

Despite a recent confrontation between Beijing and Hanoi over China's deployment of an oil rig in its own waters, the overall situation in the sea remains stable and poses no major risk of spiraling out of control.

In particular, the U.S. worry over maritime safety is unwarranted since the freedom of navigation has been fully guaranteed.

By stoking the flames, Washington is further emboldening countries like the Philippines and Vietnam to take a hardline stance against China, raising suspicion over the real intention of the United States and make an amicable solution more difficult to reach.

It can hardly be accepted as a coincidence that the previously calm South China Sea has lost its tranquility since the United States embarked on its pivot to Asia strategy.

Rejecting the U.S. proposal does not mean China will not behave itself. On the contrary, China has so far exerted maximum restraint in its territorial and maritime disputes with some ASEAN countries and has been consistent in seeking a negotiated solution on a bilateral basis.

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