The Pentagon criticizes the launch of Chinese missiles in the South China Sea

And the US Department of Defense (Pentagon) said in a statement that "China's actions, including missile tests, further destabilize the South China Sea."

Washington:

The US Department of Defense said, Thursday, that Chinese tests of launching ballistic missiles in the South China Sea threaten peace and security in the region.

Confirming reports that Beijing forces fired up to four ballistic missiles during military exercises around the Paracel Islands, the Pentagon said the move calls into question China's 2002 commitment to avoiding provocative activities.

And the US Department of Defense (Pentagon) said in a statement that "China's actions, including missile tests, further destabilize the South China Sea."

"Such exercises, in addition, violate the tasks of the People's Republic of China under the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea to move away from things that may complicate or expand conflicts and have an impact on peace and stability," the declaration said, referring to China With the help of her initials. , People's republic of China.

Over the past decade, China has erected military installations on numerous disputed coral reefs and protruding outcrops in the South China Sea to assert its sovereignty over a large portion of the region against territorial claims by Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan and Indonesia.

The Pentagon said the military exercises that the Chinese army conducted from August 23 to 29 near Paracels - which it calls Shisha - were "the latest in a long series of actions by the People's Republic of China to confirm illegal maritime claims and harm its neighbors." In Southeast Asia. "

She said the United States urged China in July to reduce "militarization and coercion" in the region.

Instead, "the People's Republic of China has chosen to step up its education things to do by means of launching ballistic missiles."

Earlier on Thursday, Beijing criticized Washington for blacklisting 20 Chinese state-owned companies involved in building and supplying China’s bases in the South China Sea.