US unhappy with China behaviour in the South China Sea

KUALA LUMPUR -- Increasingly unhappy with China's "behaviour" in the South China Sea, the United States (US) says it will continue to cooperate with countries in the Indo- Pacific (Asia Pacific) region to ensure the busy maritime trade and resources-rich region remains free and open.
The continuing unease with China stems from the latest incident last Friday when a US Navy jet flying over the Spratly chain of islands was issued a warning by the Chinese military and told to leave the area immediately.
US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian Pacific Security Affairs, Randall G. Schriver said there had been an increase in that type of "behaviour" from China.
“This kind of behaviour from China has been directed not only at US surface and maritime aircraft but to other countries as well, operating lawfully in the area,” he said during a media roundtable here on Tuesday.
"It's part of a pattern of behaviour. It started with the line reclamation and the militarisation of the outpost and now we are seeing efforts to limit the ability of countries to operate lawfully in that area.
“So, it's telling of China's ultimate aim, which is not to support freedom of navigation but to exert control and place limitations on our ability to operate there."
Earlier, Schriver called on Malaysia's newly-minted Defence Deputy Minister, Senator Liew Chin Tong, and the Chief of Naval Operations. He is the first senior official from the US Defence to visit Malaysia since the new government came into effect in Malaysia.
Describing his visit to the region as keeping a check on the "temperature” of regional security, Schriver said the US would look at how best to help the countries in the region towards stronger maritime security dynamics.
The US is expected to use its recently pledged US$300 million funding for the region on a country-by- country case basis and these could be anything from training programmes to equipment and capacity building. Among the priority countries for the fund are Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.
On whether any country had sought US assistance, he said that one country did, but declined to elaborate.
The South China Sea remains a disputed territory, with China claiming huge parts while other claimants are Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines.
On one of the points proposed by China in the draft of the negotiating text of the South China Sea Code of Conduct (COC) recently agreed upon by ASEAN and China, that "the parties shall not hold joint military exercises with countries from outside the region, unless the parties concerned were notified beforehand and expressed no objection," Shriver said the US would be watching its progress.
He also added that the COC should be inclusive and not contradict international law and freedom of navigation in international waters.
On Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's stance in not wishing to see warships in the Straits of Melaka, he said the US would respect this.
Shriver said the US was also looking outside the military basket for solutions to disputes, and towards more diplomatic aspects and strengthen its claims peacefully and legally.

Proton SUV open for booking at RM1,000

KUALA LUMPUR -- National car maker, Proton Holdings Bhd, is adopting an alphanumerical naming system for its future models beginning with the X70, its first sport utility vehicle (SUV). Sales and Marketing Vice-President Abdul Rashid Musa said the letter X is synonymous with crossover or SUV vehicles, while the number 70 denoted the size or class of the SUV and would enable Proton to adopt a logical system to add bigger or smaller models in the future. “This is the first time an alphanumerical naming system is used on a Proton model as our research shows it will make it easier to sell in ASEAN and other international markets, as there are no language barriers to overcome,” he told reporters at the preview of the new SUV. Proton Chief Executive Officer Dr Li Chunrong said Proton's adoption of the new naming system would make customer more focus on the brand name as compared with the model name. Abdul Rashid, who is also the Chief Executive Officer o...

Mahkamah meriah dengan tahanan reman lindungi rumah urut

PUTRAJAYA -- Mahkamah Majistret di sini “meriah” susulan prosiding reman beramai-ramai melibatkan 14 individu termasuk tujuh penjawat awam berkaitan dakwaan memberi dan menerima wang sogokan bagi melindungi premis urut di Kuala Lumpur. Tujuh penjawat awam terbabit ialah tiga anggota polis termasuk seorang ketua balai, seorang pegawai bomba dan tiga petugas Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur. Mereka berserta tiga lagi orang awam yang disyaki berperanan sebagai ‘runner’ atau utusan dibawa ke mahkamah itu pada kira-kira 10 pagi menaiki bas Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM), menyusuli empat lagi individu dipercayai pemilik premis yang tiba di mahkamah itu kira-kira sejam sebelumnya, menaiki van SPRM. Prosiding reman terhadap kesemua mereka tamat pada kira-kira pukul 1.30 tengah hari denga...

Hujan lebat di Kelantan dijangka berlanjutan ke Januari

KOTA BHARU -- Jabatan Meteorologi Kelantan menjangkakan episod hujan lebat berkemungkinan akan berlanjutan ke bulan Januari tahun hadapan di negeri ini. Pengarahnya Rabiah Zakaria berkata ia berikutan Kelantan masih dipengaruhi Monsun Timur Laut pada bulan berkenaan. "Jabatan Meteorologi Malaysia sebelum ini menjangkakan akan berlaku empat hingga enam episod hujan lebat sepanjang Monsun Timur Laut pada tahun ini dengan purata jumlah hujan antara 440 milimeter (mm) hingga 690mm bagi bulan Disember ini di Kelantan," katanya ketika dihubungi Bernama di sini, hari ini. Rabiah berkata setakat ini empat episod hujan lebat telah berlaku di pantai timur termasuklah yang sedang berlaku sekarang. Beliau berkata pemantauan masih lagi diteruskan dari semasa ke semasa bagi menentukan kemungkinan tersebut kerana bulan Disember belum berakhir. "Jika ramalan itu berlaku, ia sedikit sebanyak mungkin akan memberi kesan kepada persediaan untuk sesi persekolahan baharu tahun ...

Paper Buruk

Search This Blog