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For his part, Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said that disputes in the South China Sea should be resolved peacefully through regional dialogue, according to Reuters.
However, despite his speech calling for “peace and quiet”, China has repeatedly strengthened the coercive activities of its neighbors to consolidate their illegal claims of sovereignty in the South China Sea.
Specifically, this year, the Chinese coastal vessel continued to harass and intimidate Vietnamese fishing vessels and Malaysian exploration vessels; preventing Filipino fishermen from accessing traditional fishing grounds on the disputed Scarborough Bank; and even invade the exclusive economic zone of Indonesia off the Natuna Islands.
Recently, the US State Department accused China of trying to build a “maritime empire” in the region. The Secretary of State of the United States, Mike Pompeo, also affirmed that Washington wants a “free and open” Asia, not dominated by any other nation.
The Chinese foreign minister’s visit to Malaysia came after six fishing boats and 60 Chinese nationals were arrested on October 10 for invading Malaysian waters. On October 12, the Chinese Foreign Ministry asked Malaysia to protect the rights of Chinese citizens and investigate the case in accordance with the law.
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