An American diplomat in Tokyo on September 6 criticised China’s “more and more hostile maritime actions” as a menace to the protection of waterways within the resource-rich Indo-Pacific, as the US seeks to strengthen safety cooperation with allies Japan and the Philippines.

U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Raymond Greene mentioned disregard for worldwide legislation and heavy-handed actions by Beijing are geared toward rising its management over the area.

“Particularly, the more and more hostile maritime actions by the Folks’s Republic of China threaten the protection of our waterways,” he mentioned at a information convention forward of a gathering of officers from the three nations.

”Nobody nation ought to be capable to dominate Indo-Pacific waters by coercion and outright intimidation,” he mentioned. “May doesn’t make proper and we don’t draw back from calling out Beijing’s provocative actions.”

He mentioned China’s actions included a militarisation of the East and South China Seas, harassment of international fishing and different vessels, and depletion of maritime sources and the setting.

China ranks second highest in navy spending after the US and is quickly modernising its forces. It says its navy is solely for protection and to guard its sovereign rights.

Japan sees China as a regional safety menace and worries about rising tensions surrounding Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory. Tokyo additionally is worried about rising cooperation between China and Russia and their joint navy actions round Japan, together with joint firing drills off northern Japan over the weekend.

Japanese Vice Protection Minister Kimi Onoda, additionally on the information convention, mentioned Japan and the Philippines as maritime nations share safety challenges, together with makes an attempt by different nations to singlehandedly change the established order within the South and East China Seas.

Robespierre L. Bolivar, chargé d’affaires on the Philippine Embassy, mentioned promotion of cooperation among the many three nations is vital to assist defend the Philippines’ maritime pursuits.

About 20 maritime safety officers and specialists from the three nations are to debate maritime safety cooperation on the two-day session.