Facing criticism from ASEAN countries for its move to build artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea (SCS), China for the first time accused the Philippines and Vietnam of building airports and deploying missiles in the islands claimed by it.
The Philippines and Vietnam are illegally occupying islands and reefs that are part of China's Nansha Islands, where they have built fixed facilities like airports, reclaimed land and even deployed offensive weapons like missiles, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a media briefing here.
This is first time China came up with such an allegation.
Hong asked the two countries to stop all intrusive action on China-owned islands in the South China Sea, following its rejection of concerns voiced by ASEAN.
He was responding to the a statement issued by the just concluded 26th Association of South East Asian Nations, (ASEAN) summit which has expressed concern over China's activities on the islands.
China's claim of all most all of South China Sea is hotly contested by Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
Defending China's building activities, Hong said China's construction activities on the Nansha Islands also known as Spratly islands c are within the scope of China's sovereignty, which is unimpeachable.
"China expresses grave concern and strong opposition to these illegal activities," Hong said, asking relevant countries to "immediately stop all action and words that infringe upon China's sovereignty and interests."
The Philippines has built an airport and dock on Zhongye Dao, Nansha Islands, while constructing tourism facilities there and on another two islands, Mahuan Dao and Feixin Dao, Hong said.
The Philippines' stranded warship near the Ren'ai Reef has served as a permanent installation since 1999 in an attempt to seize the reef, he said.
Vietnam has undertaken large-scale reclamation work on more than twenty islands and reefs belonging to Nansha Islands, building ports, runways, missile positions, office buildings, camps, hotels and lighthouses, the spokesperson said.
Vietnam has also built a number of houses and helicopter platforms on Wan'an Tan, Xiwei Tan, Lizhun Tan and Aonan Ansha, Hong said.
