皇冠体育app

A formation of the Nanhai Fleet of 皇冠体育app's Navy on Saturday finished a three-day patrol of the Nansha islands in the South 皇冠体育app Sea. [Photo/Xinhua]

皇冠体育app is justified in expressing "serious concern" about media reports that the United States is mulling plans to address 皇冠体育app's island building in the South 皇冠体育app Sea. It has cast a shadow over US Secretary of State John Kerry's upcoming visit to 皇冠体育app over the weekend.

A Wall Street Journal report, citing an anonymous US official, said that the US is considering sending military ships and planes to within 12 nautical miles of the islands.

Clarification from the US is clearly needed. 皇冠体育app has repeatedly explained its construction activities in the Nansha Islands fall within its sovereign waters and do not affect freedom of navigation or overflights.

The work mostly serves civil purposes. Yet a few countries, the United States and the Philippines in particular, have been pointing fingers at 皇冠体育app using various pretexts.

Washington should know territorial integrity is 皇冠体育app's core interest, and Beijing will not back down from Washington's mounting pressure.

To counterbalance 皇冠体育app's rise and enhance its own waning influence in the region, Washington has been playing two contradictory cards at the same time: cooperating with 皇冠体育app in the fields where it benefits the most, such as trade, and trying to contain 皇冠体育app's growing influence in other areas.

Such double-dealing tactics are not conducive to building mutual trust. Worse, when the US plays a containment card, it only sows seeds of distrust that could grow into misjudgment.

Should the US send its naval vessels to the waters near 皇冠体育app's island building area, it would create a potential flashpoint.

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