Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the construction on some reefs in the archipelago was to enable Chinese citizens working there to “better perform international obligations in terms of search, rescue and other public services.”
In a recent report, IHS Jane’s said satellite images taken in August and November showed that Chinese dredgers had created a land mass almost the entire length of Fiery Cross Reef, which was previously under water. The security group said it is China’s largest construction project in the island chain.
On Monday, State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke urged China and other states in the region to be transparent about their activities in disputed areas of the South China Sea. He stopped short of criticizing China for its new construction but said such action could “complicate or escalate the situation.”
“It’s the United States’ point of view that avoiding certain actions during the negotiating process would create a conducive and positive environment,” Rathke told reporters Monday.
Over the weekend, U.S. military spokesman Lt. Col. Jeffrey Pool urged China to cease the land reclamation project and engage in diplomatic talks.
Hua told a regular news briefing on Monday that no country has “a right to make irresponsible remarks” about the reclamation.
Read more at The Washington Post; IHS Jane’s report
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