China on Thursday stressed its intention to become a “maritime power” in line with its economic clout, as US President Barack Obama prepares to return to Asia amid regional anxiety at Beijing’s rise.
Against a backdrop of simmering territorial disputes with its neighbours, President Hu Jintao indicated China would continue to assert its disputed claims to maritime territories as he addressed the ruling Communist Party’s congress.
“We should enhance our capacity for exploiting marine resources, resolutely safeguard China’s maritime rights and interests, and build China into a maritime power,” Hu said in his speech to more than 2,200 delegates in Beijing.
His comments were likely to fuel alarm among China’s neighbours, some of whom have watched warily as Beijing builds up its military amid offshore disputes.
Beijing’s sovereignty row with Tokyo over Japanese-controlled islands in the East China Sea has chilled relations, while tensions with the Philippines and Vietnam have flared in the South China Sea.
Japan urged China to use its sea power peacefully.
