US Accuses China of Positioning Artillery in South China Sea, Japan & EU Urge Calm

The United States accused China of placing artillery on islands it is building in the South China Sea, as Japan and the European Union beseeched all parties involved in the complex showdown to let cooler heads prevail.

The Associated Press reports that the United States spotted two mobile artillery units several weeks ago. News of the artillery comes as defense officials from around the world are gathering in Singapore for an international defense summit.

Reuters notes that the artillery is more symbolic than anything else, because the Chinese Navy maintains a large presence in the Spratly Islands and surrounding South China Sea.

Portions of the island chain are claimed by Malaysia, Taiwan, China, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei, and the Philippines. Vietnam is also constructing islands in the contested territory, but not at the pace of China.

China has added 1,500 acres of land to various reefs, atolls, and rock outcroppings in the past year. One Chinese land formation holds an airstrip that is long enough to accommodate every aircraft in the Chinese Air Force.

The United States has begun to fly surveillance flights over the region to reinforce its position that the islands and its airspace are international territory that should be freely navigated. The US has even publicly floated the idea of sending warships through the contested region to ensure freedom of navigation.

It is against this backdrop that Japan and the EU asked all parties involved in the confrontation to avoid the use of force, or even threatening to do so, according to a different Reuters report.

Both countries also asked that those party to disputes in the region seek peaceful resolutions in line with international law.

While Japan does not have claims in the South China Sea, it is feuding with China over control of a group of islands in the East China Sea known as the Senkakus in Japan, and Diaoyus in China.