China downplays US Navy official’s ‘disruptive force’ comment

Beijing, Jan 19 : China on Friday downplayed a US Navy official’s comments that Beijing is a “disruptive force”, wondering why Washington worries about Beijing’s rise so much.

A day after the US, India, Japan and Australia expressed concerns over China’s increasing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region and other international waters, Beijing said it was pursuing the “path of peaceful development”.

To US Pacific Command chief Admiral Harry Harris’ remark at a discussion forum in New Delhi that China was “disruptive force” in the Indo-Pacific region, Beijing said it was not surprised as such comments have been made earlier too.

“This is not the first time these people make such kind of comments and remarks,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said.

At the dialogue forum organised by a New Delhi-based think tank and the Indian government, navy officials of India, Japan and Australia discussed China’s increasing presence in the international waters.

“In the international order, we maintain to build international relations of mutual respect and equality and cooperation. To pursue the development of such kind of international relations, we will not feel the relevant people should feel worried.

“If some people feel worried about such kind of efforts and they feel that these efforts are disruptive, we can ask those people what make them feel worried,” Lu said.

Lu said the US should not speak on behalf of others.

“In his (Harris) remarks, he also named three Asean countries feeling worried about China’s development. We didn’t hear the three other countries (say) they feel worried about China’s development,” Lu said, referring to Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.

“They should not speak for other countries.” Lu said.

IANS