Zeenews Bureau
Beijing: Chinese state run media on Tuesday warned the United States against its plans to boost its naval presence in the Asia-Pacific region.
The warning came in the People's Daily, the organ of the Communist Party of China and Liberation Army Daily, the mouthpiece of nation's military.
Reflecting the official position of Beijing, a commentary in People's Daily said, "Opinion across the Asia-Pacific generally does not believe that the United States' strategy of returning to the Asia-Pacific is not aimed at China; it's there plain for all to see".
"The United States verbally denies it is containing China's rise, but while establishing a new security array across the Asia-Pacific, it has invariably made China its target," it added.
The Liberation Army Daily, quoting a People's Liberation Army researcher as saying, "This trend will increase people's fears about the United States using its military dominance to interfere in the sovereignty of the region's countries".
US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta had said that Pentagon will reposition its naval forces so that 60 percent of its battleships are in the Asia-Pacific region by the end of the decade.
Panetta, however, had said the plan was not aimed at containing China.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin, who responded to Panetta's announcement by saying China hopes the United States will respect its regional interests.
Earlier, Chinese official news agency Xinhua had warned the US to refrain from the South China Sea.
"It is advisable for some to refrain from muddying the waters and fishing therein and for some others to desist from dancing behind a Pied Piper whose magic tone, as tempting as it is, might lead its followers astray," said Xinhua in a commentary, referring to the sea, which is part of the Pacific and the subject of overlapping territorial claims.
China maintains that the South China Sea in full, and it is also claimed in whole or part by Taiwan, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines.
First Published: Tuesday, June 05, 2012, 10:34