US prefers instability in the South China Sea. Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

The USS John S. McCain "conducted freedom of navigation operation" near the Nansha Islands, South China Sea on Tuesday, according to a news release by US 7th Fleet. Senior Colonel Tian Junli, a spokesperson at the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command, responded in a statement that the operation was not authorized by the Chinese government. He said the PLA Southern Theater Command organized naval and aerial forces, warned and expelled the US destroyer from the area. The US has conducted nine such operations in 2020 within the 12 nautical miles of Chinese territorial islands and waters of the South China Sea, reports said. 

Freedom of navigation is a universal consensus. But a "freedom of navigation operation" is a unique US concept. Washington launched the freedom of navigation operation program in 1979. US Oceans Policy, passed in 1983, articulated that the country "will exercise and assert its rights, freedoms, and uses of the sea on a worldwide basis." The policy was formulated in the last period of the shaping of UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea. This was a commonplace US hegemonic practice: replacing international law with domestic rules in order to evade relevant international responsibilities. 

There is absolutely no reason for China and other countries to indulge US arrogance when Washington carries out these operations. To put it more precisely, US warships have trespassed in the South China Sea. China is reinforcing its maintenance to regional maritime security.

On Monday, the provincial maritime search and rescue center of Hainan Province received a report that a cargo ship registered in Sierra Leone was listing heavily in waters near Wan'an Bank of the Nansha Islands. After verifying the distress call, China's Ministry of Transport and authorities in Hainan sent three ships to join the rescue operation. On Tuesday, all the 10 crew members onboard were rescued. 

With the development of China's maritime power in recent years, the outside world has been very concerned about China's intentions in the South China Sea and other areas. China has repeatedly stressed that the principle of shelving differences has not changed. In addition to strengthen necessary national defense and safety precautions, China will provide more international public goods for regional security and make greater contributions to regional peace and stability. The rescue of the Sierra Leonean cargo ship is another proof of China's international responsibility and commitment.

The US and other countries have frequently smeared and stigmatized China in international public relations. They claim that "China is forcing its neighbors" and "China wants to control the South China Sea." However, such accusations are incompatible to common sense. Tensions or instability in China's neighborhood, including in the South China Sea, will definitely do more harm than good to China. Chaos in its neighborhood will harm China's overall diplomatic and security environment as well.

China's intention to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea is strong and clear. We hope that under the framework of shelving differences, we will adopt a dual-track approach to safeguard the South China Sea with other claimants and ASEAN countries. Admittedly, as China has developed, its capabilities and military strength have improved significantly. 

And it is often interpreted as the so-called evidence to hype up the "China threat" theory. But actually, in addition to capabilities, factors of intent are also important. Reasonable concerns are understandable, but exaggerating China's capabilities and intentions clearly comes from ulterior motives. 

Relatively speaking, the US prefers instability in the South China Sea; where it can take advantage to highlight its influence and presence. Since 2009, the US stance toward disputes in the region has changed from "relatively neutral" to "forcing others to take sides," until Washington directly intervenes in. US policies have also turned from managing and making use of disputes to actively creating disputes and encouraging frictions. 

Since 2018, some US high-level officials have implied or publicly called for wars. In February 2018, Harry Harris, then head of US Pacific Command in Hawaii, said China's "intent is crystal clear" to dominate the South China Sea and the US should be prepared for the possibility of war with China. 

On April 17, 2018, Philip Davidson, when he was the nominee for the US Navy commander for the US Indo-Pacific Command, testified during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. "China is now capable of controlling the South China Sea in all scenarios short of war with the United States," said Davidson.

In the past few years, the US has elevated the frequency of its military operations in the South China Sea. In just the first half of 2020, US military aircraft have been sighted more than 2,000 times. Be it capability or intent, Washington has already become the most unstable element to the situation in the sea. 

Observing the South China Sea situation requires knowledge and also rationality. It is self-evident who on is making waves in this otherwise peaceful sea.

The author is director of the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn