Page 27 - MIN JUS 20 FEB 2016

A10

WORLD NEWSSaturday 20 February 2016

China accuses US of militarizing South China Sea Pakistan seeking to
investigate suspects

C. BODEEN “The above actions have more “public goods and eignty” over the islands. over attack in India

Associated Press escalated tensions in the services to the international China’s action “have also

BEIJING (AP) — China on South China Sea, and community.” The deploy- threatened peace and MUNIR AHMED

Friday accused the U.S. of that’s the real militarization ment follows China’s build- stability in the region as Associated Press

militarizing the South Chi- of the South China Sea,” ing of new islands by piling well as security, safety, and ISLAMABAD (AP) — Paki-

na Sea, just days after it Hong said. sand atop reefs and then freedom of navigation and stani authorities have reg-

was revealed Beijing had U.S. and Taiwanese officials adding airstrips and military aviation,” Foreign Ministry istered a case against

deployed surface-to-air this week confirmed com- installations. The buildup spokesman Le Hai Binh told “unknown persons” in con-

reporters. nection with last month’s

The Philippines, which attack on an Indian air

claims waters and features base in which seven Indian

east of Woody island, on soldiers and all six attackers

Friday said it was “gravely were killed, an Islamabad

concerned” by reports of official said Friday.

the missile deployments. Shortly after the Jan. 2 at-

“Such actions negate Chi- tack, Indian investigators

na’s earlier commit- had claimed that phone

ment not to militarize the intercepts suggested the

South China Sea,” the De- gunmen had come from

partment of Foreign Affairs Pakistan.

said in a statement. A senior official at Paki-

Although not one of the six stan’s Foreign Ministry said

governments with claims in that registering the case

the South China Sea, the may help pave the way

U.S. says it has a national for a resumption of talks

interest in the region’s sta- between Pakistan and In-

bility and freedom of navi- dia, which were delayed

gation and overflight in by New Delhi at the time of

and above what are some the attack.

of the world’s busiest sea A senior Pakistani investiga-

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei speaks during a news briefing at the Ministry of For- lanes. tor said the case against
eign Affairs in Beijing, China. China on Friday accused the U.S. of militarizing the South China Sea, Secretary of State John “unknown persons” was
just days after it was revealed Beijing had deployed surface-to-air missiles on an island in the hotly Kerry has suggested that registered on complaint
disputed area. the positioning of missiles from a senior official from
and other signs of increas- the country’s Ministry of In-
(AP Photo/Andy Wong) ing militarization contra- terior and that a joint inves-

missiles on an island in the mercial satellite images is seen as part of Beijing’s dicted a public assurance tigation team comprising

hotly disputed area. showing the missiles placed efforts to claim virtually the from Chinese President Xi experts from civil and mili-

Chinese Foreign Ministry on Woody Island in the dis- entire disputed sea and its Jinping when he visited the tary spy agencies and po-

spokesman Hong Lei told puted Paracel chain. resources. White House last Septem- lice will quiz all those linked

reporters that patrols by China has not denied the Vietnam, which along with ber. to attack in India. The of-

U.S. military aircraft and appearance of the mis- Taiwan also claims the Hong’s comments repre- ficials spoke on condition

Navy vessels, along with siles, but says it is entitled Paracels, issued a diplo- sent China’s attempt to of anonymity as they were

joint exercises involving re- to defend its territory and matic note to the Chinese turn that accusation back not authorized to speak to

gional partners were the points to the construction Embassy in Hanoi on Friday on Washington, a cause to the media.

true reason why concerns of lighthouses, weather sta- to demand a stop to what which it has rallied its entire- Rana Sanaullah, a provin-

were growing over peace tions and other infrastruc- it called “China’s infringe- ly state-controlled media cial minister, told report-

and stability. ture undertaken to provide ment of Vietnam’s sover- outlets.q ers in the eastern city of

Myanmar: Lahore that the case was

registered based on infor-

Activists say destruction of opium fields blocked mation provided by India.

The announcement came
weeks after Pakistan said

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) trafficking. ment Friday. thorities in 1999 launched it arrested “several indi-
— Anti-drug activists said Three Pat Jasan activists Myanmar is the world’s a 15-year plan to eliminate viduals” from the outlawed
Friday the military and local have been injured by land second-biggest producer opium poppy cultivation, Jaish-e-Mohammad mili-
police are preventing them mines and one 19-year-old of opium after Afghanistan. but last year the deadline tant group believed to be
from destroying fields of member has been shot Most opium is produced was extended to 2019. linked to the air base as-
opium poppies in northern dead. The group claims in Shan and Kachin states, Although there are accu- sault. Pakistan later took
Myanmar, a major cultiva- to have destroyed many and in Kachin state, drug sations that the military has the group’s head, Mau-
tion area for the drug that acres (hectares) of pop- use is especially common profited, the drug trade has lana Masood Azhar, into
can be made into heroin. pies. among the young and flourished largely because custody for questioning.
The Pat Jasan group has among migrants who scav- of political considerations. India has long accused
more than 1,000 members They say they were told enge the detritus from gem In some cases, ethnic mi- Pakistan of turning a blind
engaged in the current that the military would not mines. nority groups fighting the eye to militants who have
eradication campaign provide security for any fu- The area is part of the in- government have helped staged cross-border at-
and is affiliated with Chris- ture attempts at clearing famous Golden Triangle, finance their struggles tacks and battled Indian
tian churches of the Kachin the poppies because Pat the drug-producing area through the drug trade, but forces in the disputed Kash-
ethnic minority. The effort Jasan is not a registered or- where the frontiers of in others the government mir region, which is divided
it started in late January is ganization. Myanmar, Laos and Thai- has ignored the trade in ex- between the two countries
opposed by farmers and Officials with the state an- land meet. The Myanmar change for ethnic militias’ and claimed by both in its
militias that profit from drug ti-drug police did not re- government and local au- loyalty.q entirety.q
spond to requests for com-