States must avoid ‘unilateral action’ in South China Sea: Centre

PTI NEW DELHI, February 25 China’s military build-up to assert dominance in the international waters India on Thursday asserted that all States should avoid “unilateral action” in the South China Sea that will lead to tensions in the region while reacting to China’s military build-up to assert dominance in the international waters. “India has repeatedly stressed for respect for freedom of navigation in international waters, the right of passage and over-flight, unimpeded commerce and access to resources in accordance with the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).To avoid tension “All States should avoid unilateral action in South China that will lead to tensions in the region,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said when asked about Chinese military build-up in the disputed South China Sea. Maintaining that its military facilities in the South China Sea are “legal and appropriate,” China earlier this week deployed surface-to-air missiles on Woody Island in the sea’s Paracel chain and radars on Cuarteron Reef in the Spratly islands further to the south.