Obama concerned China uses size
to bully others in region
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By Emily Stephenson | Reuters – 15
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Reuters/Reuters
- U.S. President Barack Obama participates in a town hall meeting with young
Caribbean leaders at the University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica
April 9, 2015. REUTERS/Jonathan Erns …more
By Emily Stephenson
(Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on
Thursday the United States is concerned China uses its "sheer
size and muscle" to push around smaller countries in the South China Sea.
His comments come after China defended its construction of
artificial islands in the South China Sea, saying it is needed to safeguard its
sovereignty in the mineral-rich waters where China's territorial claims overlap
those of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
"Where we get concerned with China is where it is not
necessarily abiding by international norms and rules and is using its sheer
size and muscle to force countries into subordinate positions," Obama told
town-hall event in Jamaica ahead of a Caribbean summit in Panama, where he
hopes to reassert U.S. leadership in Latin America.
"We think this can be solved diplomatically, but just because
the Philippines or Vietnam are not as large as China doesn't mean that they can
just be elbowed aside."
Chinese officials said the reclamation work would be used for
military defences and to provide services that would benefit other countries.
The U.S. State Department said the activity was causing anxiety in the region
about China's intentions.
China's sovereignty claims over the stretch of water off its south
coast and to the east of mainland Southeast Asia set it directly against U.S.
allies Vietnam and the Philippines, while Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia also have
claims.
At stake is control over what are believed to be significant
reserves of oil and gas.
Obama, speaking to young people in Jamaica, also said the United
States encourages Chinese investments around the world, but the deals need to
benefit the people of those countries.
(Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick. Editing by Jason Szep
and Andre Grenon)
U.S. says Chinese activity in South China Sea causes regional
'anxiety'
Reuters – 6
hours ago- Share
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Reuters/Reuters
- A Chinese Coast Guard vessel (R) passes near the Chinese oil rig, Haiyang Shi
You 981 (L) in the South China Sea, about 210 km (130 miles) from the coast of
Vietnam June 13, 2014. REUTERS/Nguyen …more
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department on Thursday said
it regards Chinese reclamation in the South China Sea as "fuelling
greater anxiety" in the region about the country's intentions.
China on Thursday released plans for islands it is creating in the
disputed South China Sea. State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke said the
United States continues to raise concerns with China and others in the region
about the situation.
(Reporting by Emily Stephenson; Editing by Will Dunham)
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