On Tuesday (Oct 26), China expressed its deep worry over the collision of a US Navy submarine with an unknown object in the South China Sea and urged Washington to provide more information about the event and to stop militarizing the region.
The USS Connecticut, a Seawolf-class nuclear assault submarine, collided underwater in the South China Sea more than three weeks ago. Still, Washington has remained silent about the mishap, according to Beijing.
The Drive, a US military website, reported that the USS Connecticut is still docked in Guam.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a daily news briefing in Beijing on Tuesday (Oct 26) that China has consistently demanded that the US clarify the event.
According to Mr. Zhao, the US military has procrastinated thus far by issuing a brief and imprecise statement.
"Such an irresponsible practice gives regional countries and the international community every reason to question the truth of the incident and the intention of the US," he said.
"China and other coastal states have every right to demand that the US answer the following question: What was the USS Connecticut up to in the South China Sea this time? What exactly did it hit? Why would something like that happen? Was there a nuclear accident that posed a threat to the environment?" Mr. Zhao expressed his thoughts.
In response to the regional countries and international community's worries and uncertainties, he stressed that the US should provide a clear explanation.
Mr. Zhao claimed that the United States has repeatedly sent many military vessels and planes to the South China Sea to flex its muscles, undermining freedom of passage and endangering the sovereignty and security of regional countries, including China.
He went on to say that such actions presented a significant threat to regional peace and stability, emphasizing that the South China Sea is not a hunting ground for the US to pursue its geopolitical goals.
He said that the United States is the driving force behind the militarization of the South China Sea, encouraging the country to learn from its mistakes and play a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability in the region.
