File photo of China"s Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai [Photo: Chinanews.com] China"s Ambassador to the US is lashing out at the Obama administration for its move to send a warship into Chinese-controlled territory in the South China Sea. Cui Tiankai is accusing Washington of launching a serious provocation. "Well, I think first of all, what the U.S. is doing is very serious provocation politically and militarily. It is a clear attempt to escalate the situation and to militarize the region." At the same time, Cui Tiankai is accusing the US of holding a double-standard, asking players in the region not to militarize the region, while sending its own warships and planes into the area. "Whatever is happening now will not change our position on the sovereignty in the region. We are not to weaken our determination to safeguard our sovereignty and would not weaken our commitment to seeking a peaceful solution to the disputes with countries concerned. And certainly we"re not going to weaken our position and commitment to developing a healthy and strong relation with the United States." The Chinese government has called-in US ambassador Max Baucus in for a sit-down, calling the US action a "serious provocation." The US Navy sailed one of its warships within 12 nautical miles of Chinese-controlled islands in the Nansha Island group earlier this week without first asking permission from China. The Chinese military says the move is a "show of military force" intended to militarize the South China Sea. Related: US" Action in South China Sea Against International Laws: Experts Chinese Expert Discusses Religious Sites on South China Sea Islands |
