No country should use any excuse to engage in militarisation in South China Sea: Beijing
Washington, Nov 10 : Asserting that there is no problem of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, Beijing said no country should use any excuse to engage in militarisation in the region.
China, which claims almost all of the South China Sea, has been unhappy with the US' navigation and overflight patrols in the region over which Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have counter claims. In September, a Chinese destroyer and a US warship nearly collided in the disputed waters.
"There is no problem of the freedom of navigation and overflight being obstructed, so to use the freedom of navigation and overflight as an excuse to pursue military actions is unjustifiable, Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi told a joint press conference here on Friday.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, US Defence Secretary James Mattis and Chinese Minister of National Defence Wei Fenghe were also present at the press conference.
The Chinese leaders are in Washington to set the stage for a meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping later this month.
In an apparent attempt to allay the growing global concern about China constructing defence facilities in the disputed territory, Yang said Beijing is only building certain security facilities in response to possible threats from outside.
He said China has undertaken some constructions on the islands and reefs in the region, however, "most of them are civilian facilities" whose purpose is to "serve the interest of the Chinese people and also to provide public goods to others".
Yang said to pursue militarisation in the region will not only undermine interest of regional countries, but will also hurt the nations that take these actions.
Addressing the conference, Mattis said the US adheres strictly to international law and the international maritime rules of the road and it "will continue to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows".
He said the US' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, one that is underpinned by the rules-based international order and regional stability, is unwavering.
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Karnataka panel backs move to grant second official language status to Tulu
Mangaluru (PTI): A high-level committee constituted by the Karnataka government to study the framework adopted by Andhra Pradesh for recognising Urdu as a second official language has submitted its report, backing the state’s move to accord similar status to Tulu.
The six-member panel, headed by K M Gayatri, former Director of the Kannada and Culture Department, examined the procedures followed by the Andhra Pradesh government before granting second official language status to Urdu, officials said on Wednesday.
The committee undertook a field visit to the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat on January 19 and 20 and held consultations with senior officials to understand the legal provisions, administrative mechanisms, and implementation benchmarks involved, they said.
The panel also included Tharanatha Gatti Kapikad, president of the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy, in an advisory capacity.
The report, along with a detailed note outlining Tulu’s historical, linguistic, and cultural significance, was submitted to J Manjunath, Secretary, Kannada and Culture Department, at Vikas Soudha here.
According to official sources, the study was aimed at gathering inputs to help Karnataka frame criteria and procedural guidelines if it decides to grant second official language status to Tulu.
Senior officials present at the submission included B S Manjunath Swami, Director of the Kannada and Culture Department; representatives of the Law Department and the Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department; and office-bearers of various state academies.
Tulu is predominantly spoken in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, and in parts of Kasaragod in neighbouring Kerala.
The demand to accord it second official language status in Karnataka has been raised by cultural organisations for several years.
