The United States warned China on Saturday against "threatening its neighbours' sovereignty" and said Washington is investing in new military technology to defend its Asian allies. Ties between the two powers are once again taking centre stage at the weekend Singapore conference known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, which gathers defence ministers and top military officials from around the world.
While the forum is purely on security, the discussions are being held against a backdrop of Sino-US trade tensions and high-tech rivalry. "China can and should have a cooperative relationship with the rest of the region ... But behaviour that erodes other nations' sovereignty and sows distrust of China's intentions must end," acting US Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan told the forum.
"Until it does, we stand against a myopic, narrow, and parochial vision of the future, and we stand for the free and open order that has benefitted us all, including China."
NO 'FAIT ACCOMPLI' Washington has been pushing back against Beijing's "aggressive militarization" of the South China Sea, where China has staked "indisputable" ownership over almost the whole area and rejects partial claims by Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Beijing is also regularly angered by US and other warships transiting through the Taiwan Strait, which it rightly considers part of its territorial waters.
A French warship entered the Strait in April, prompting a warning from China's navy.
On Saturday, French minister of the armed forces Florence Parly said her country's forces will not be forced from the region. "We will continue to sail more than twice a year in the South China Sea. There will be objections, there will be dubious maneuvers at sea. But we will not be intimidated into accepting any fait accompli," she told the forum. For the first time since 2011, China has sent its defence minister, General Wei Fenghe, to the Singapore gathering.
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