China Won’t Concede an Inch of Land, Xi Tells Mattis
Local Editor
Beijing has no colonial ambitions but will never shy away from defending every inch of its territory, Chinese President Xi Jinping told US War Secretary James Mattis, amid growing tensions over the South China Sea and Taiwan.
"Regarding the issue of China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, our attitude is firm and clear. The territory left behind by our ancestors must not be lost. We do not want to share anything with others," Xi told Mattis in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Washington's "patrols" of the strategic chain of reefs and small islands in the South China Sea, under the "freedom of navigation" pretext, repeatedly made Beijing wary of American intentions in the region.
During the meeting, Mattis made clear that Washington is adamant in its policies.
While the US seeks opportunities to increasingly project its power and ‘defend' its allies in the region against what it views as China's militarization of its periphery, Xi noted that Beijing has no history of causing chaos across the globe.
"We will not take the path of expansionism and colonialism and will not cause chaos to the world," Xi reassured Mattis.
"The broad Pacific Ocean can accommodate China and the United States and other countries. China and the United States should promote the development of bilateral relations on the principle of mutual respect and win-win cooperation."
Symbolically renamed as the US Indo-Pacific Command last month to better reflect American focus in the region, it is the largest of five geographic combatant commands, has about 375,000 civilian and military personnel who are tasked with exerting US military might over roughly 52 percent of the Earth's surface.
In addition to the South China Sea, US presence in the region also undermines Beijing's interests in Taiwan and East China Sea, which Washington aims to retain in its sphere of influence.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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