China urges US to reduce military activities in S. China Sea

Secretary of Defense Ash Carter poses for a photo with Gen. Fan Changlong, vice-chairman of China's Central Military Commission, at the Pentagon, June 11, 2015. [Photo/IC]

WASHINGTON - China on Thursday urged the US military to reduce its naval and air activities in the South China Sea while sticking to its stand of not taking sides on the territorial disputes there, in order to maintain peace and stability in the region.

Fan Changlong, vice-chairman of China's Central Military Commission, reaffirmed China's position on the South China Sea during his talks with US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter at the Pentagon Thursday.

The South China Sea issue is only an episode in the history of China-US ties, and the two sides should take the higher ground to look into the far future by paying more attention to other, more important regional and international issues, said Fan, who is on a week-long visit to the United States.

The Chinese general pointed out that the South China Sea islands and their adjacent waters have been China's territories since ancient times. China's construction and maintenance of facilities on some of the islands and reefs are mainly aimed at improving the living and working conditions of the residents there.

Fan reiterated that China has the right to establish military facilities on its own territories.

His visit is aimed at implementing the important consensus reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Barack Obama on further advancing the China-US military-to-military relationship, Fan said.

He noted that the two sides have made many important gains in recent years in building a new model of major-country relations, thanks to personal efforts by the two heads of state.

The military-to-military relationship in general has maintained a momentum of steady development as demonstrated by the signing of the two mutual trust mechanisms, new advances in the areas of exchanging high-level visits, holding institutionalized consultations and dialogues, and conducting joint military drills and trainings, the general said.

Fan proposed the two militaries establish a new kind of military relationship featuring "mutual trust, cooperation, non-conflict and sustainability."

He expressed the hope that the two sides will work together to increase contacts, boost strategic mutual trust, strengthen practical cooperation, and effectively manage crises and risks.