Beijing accuses US of military provocation in disputed South China Sea

China has accused the United States of stoking tensions in the South China Sea after B-52 bombers flew within two nautical miles of an artificial island. The incident is the latest in a brewing dispute over the waters, Deutsche Welle reported on Saturday.

Two US B-52 strategic bombers entered airspace over a Chinese-built artificial military outpost in the Spratly Islands last week in a "serious military provocation," Beijing said on Saturday.

"The actions by the US side constitute a serious military provocation and are rendering more complex and even militarizing conditions in the South China Sea," China's Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The statement said the Chinese military on the island went on high alert during the December 10 overflight and warned the aircraft to leave the island's airspace.
Responding to China's complaint, the Pentagon on Friday said that the overflight was unintentional and would be investigated.

Issuing a more diplomatic response, China's Foreign Ministry on Saturday said the situation in the South China Sea was stable and that outside countries should avoid manufacturing tensions.

"Some countries outside the region are concerned about this region and we totally understand that, but I think these states need to support attempts to keep this region stable rather than just aggravating tensions or playing countries off against each other," China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during a visit to Berlin.

China claims sovereignty over the South China Sea and has built seven artificial islands over shallow reefs in the past year to exert control over the resource-rich waters, which are also claimed by neighboring states.

Source: MENA