On November 3rd, a top U.S. admiral declared in Beijing that the U.S. military would continue to operate wherever international law permits.

The statement comes a week after the U.S. angered China by sending warships close to artificial islands that China has illegally built in the South China Sea.

Admiral Harris. Photo: Glassalmanac.

Admiral Harry Harris stated at the Stanford Center at Peking University: "International seas and airspace belong to everyone, not to any one country."

Admiral Harris added: “Our military will continue to fly, sail, and operate whenever and wherever international law permits. The South China Sea is not and will not be an exception.”

Harris is the Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command. His statement, made in the heart of China's capital, is a sign of America's resolve regarding this vital shipping lane, where Beijing is illegally reclaiming rocks and reefs to create artificial islands with military facilities.

Beijing falsely claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea based on the nine-dash line, which first appeared on Chinese maps in the 1940s.

Harris described Beijing's territorial claims as "vague" and based on "the so-called nine-dash line."

Washington has repeatedly stated that it does not recognize China's claims to maritime boundaries around the artificial islands.

Last week, the guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen sailed into the 12-nautical-mile zone around one of the artificial islands that China has illegally built in Vietnam's Spratly Islands.

The U.S. warship Lassen. Photo: U.S. Navy.

Washington claims that deploying warships here is to protect freedom of navigation under international law, which they say is being threatened by China's activities.

US Admiral Harris stated that this move by the US Navy was aimed at "preventing violations of international law and practice."

"We have been exercising freedom of navigation around the globe for decades, so there's nothing surprising about that," he said.

Admiral Harris's comments are part of the dialogue between Beijing and Washington on the South China Sea issue.

To avoid tension, he made some conciliatory remarks, praising US-China relations and pointing out that Chinese and American ships were visiting each other's ports.

According to a speech by Harris, he said: "Some people predict that our two countries will clash. I don't share that pessimistic view."

"Although we have certain disagreements on some issues, especially the South China Sea,... there are still areas where we have common ground."

Two days after the US destroyer USS Lassen sailed close to an artificial island built by China, the commander of US naval operations held a video conference with his Chinese counterpart.

U.S. officials said the remote exchange between U.S. Admiral John Richardson and Chinese Admiral Wu Shengli was "professional and constructive."

However, the Xinhua news agency interpreted Wu's words as a warning to his opponents: "If the U.S. continues with such dangerous provocative behavior, serious situations could arise between the parties at sea and in the air, and even minor clashes could escalate into conflict."

According to Vov