(VOVworld) – China’s large-scale construction activities in disputed areas in the East Sea could complicate or worsen the situation on site. Director of the State Department’s Press Office, Jeff Rathke, was referring to China’s construction of an artificial island in the Spratly (Truong Sa) archipelago on Monday. Rathke said that under Article 5 of the Declaration of Conduct signed by China and the members of ASEAN, all parties are committed to exercising self-restraint in the conduct of activities that could complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability. He said: "Large-scale construction or major steps to militarize or expand law enforcement operations at outposts, such as dramatically expanding the size of a feature through land reclamation, would seem to complicate or escalate the situation in our view. So we believe that an announcement by the claimants that they would avoid certain actions during the negotiating process for the code of conduct would create a conducive and positive environment and dramatically lower the risk of a dangerous incident.”

Director of the State Department’s Press Office, Jeff Rathke. Photo: jewishpress.com

Rathke reiterated President Obama’s call for concerned parties to show self-restraint activities during his recent visit to Beijing. He said it’s clear that the United States has a fundamental interest in freedom of navigation and that the territorial disputes in the region should be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law. A report last week by IHS Jane’s Defense revealed new details of a land reclamation project China is undertaking on Fiery Cross Reef, known as Yongshu in Chinese, in the Spratly archipelago, which is reportedly large enough for an airstrip. The report said a harbor has been dug out on the east side of the reef that appears large enough for tankers and naval warships.