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Saturday 10 November 2018
China warns U.S. to avoid islands it claims in South China Sea

Yang Jiechi, who also had
sharp words over U.S. sup-
port for Taiwan.
However, Yang and Chi-
nese defense minister Wei
Fenghe spoke of the need
to improve cooperation,
including between the U.S.
and Chinese militaries, to
ease the risk of conflict as
the two powers jockey for
pre-eminence in the Asia-
Pacific.
"Cooperation is the only
option for us," Wei said.
"Confrontation and conflict
between the two militaries
will spell disaster for us all."
Defense Secretary Jim
Mattis asserted U.S. rights
to freedom of navigation
but also said the two sides
should work together on
areas of common inter-
est. "Competition does not
mean hostility. Nor must
it lead to conflict," Mattis
said.
Although the rescheduling
of the dialogue signaled
an effort by the two sides
to contain the slide in the
relationship, it did not ad-
dress the core dispute on
From left, Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe, Chinese Politburo Member Yang Jiechi, Secretary of trade. Trump has slapped
State Mike Pompeo, and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, participate in a news conference at the State Department in Washington,
Friday, Nov. 9, 2018. tariffs on $250 billion in Chi-
Associated Press nese products, in a push to
narrow the U.S. trade defi-
By MATTHEW PENNINGTON, na," Secretary of State Mike cit and push back against
WASHINGTON (AP) — Chi- Pompeo told reporters fol- what the U.S. views as
na bluntly told the United lowing the U.S.-China Dip- predatory Chinese tactics
States to stop sending ships lomatic and Security Dia- on the high technology
and military aircraft close logue. "Rather we want to industry. Beijing has retali-
to islands claimed by Bei- ensure that China acts re- ated with tariffs on $110 mil-
jing in the South China Sea, sponsibly and fairly in sup- lion worth of U.S. goods.
during talks Friday that set port of security and pros- Yun Sun, a China expert at
the stage for a meeting perity of each of our two the Stimson Center think
between President Donald countries." tank, said Beijing is uncer-
Trump and President Xi Jin- The talks were due to be tain about what exactly
ping later this month. held in Beijing last month Trump wants out of a trade
The U.S. pushed back, in- but were postponed after deal, but hopes that with
sisting it will continue to "fly, Washington announced U.S. midterm elections out
sail and operate wherever new arms sales to Taiwan, of the way, the mercurial
international law allows." In and after a Chinese de- American president may
late September, U.S. and stroyer came close to the be more inclined to reach
Chinese vessels nearly col- USS Decatur in late Sep- a compromise. "Their top
lided near a disputed reef. tember in what the U.S. priority is to stabilize rela-
Despite the frank airing of Navy called an "unsafe tions," she said.
differences at the meeting and unprofessional maneu- On human rights, Pompeo
in Washington of the two ver." Beijing has sweeping voiced concern over Chi-
nations' top diplomats and but disputed sovereignty na's treatment of religious
military chiefs, both sides claims in the area. minorities, including the
stressed the need to tamp "The Chinese side made it mass detention of minority
down tensions, which have clear to the United States Uighur Muslims. But overall,
flared amid a bitter trade that it should stop send- the tone of the U.S. officials'
dispute that Trump and Xi ing its vessels and military public comments was mild-
are expected to tackle at aircraft close to Chinese er than that of the Chinese.
the Group of 20 summit in islands and reefs and stop Yang insisted that Chinese
Argentina. actions that undermine people have freedom of
"The United States is not Chinese authority and se- religion, and that "foreign
pursuing a policy of Cold curity interests," said Pom- countries have no right to
War containment with Chi- peo's Chinese counterpart, interfere."q