From Muhammad Afiq Mohd Asri
JINJU, Sept 12 (Bernama) -- Any issues concerning the South China Sea should be continuously addressed through ASEAN, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
“There are no issues with foreign vessels passing through South China Sea as it is a free waters passage, but it becomes an issue if foreign vessels stopped in these waters.
"The presence of any foreign vessel in South China Sea should not be regarded as an intrusion as the waters are a free passage. But if we perceive any form of intrusion, we will issue a protest note regarding the presence of the vessel to the respective countries, including China,” he told reporters after a working visit to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) here today.
International media reported China has increased the presence of its military and coast guard forces in the South China Sea since the beginning of this year.
This has led to several incidents of confrontation between Chinese and Filipina coast guards, further escalating tensions in the disputed waters, with the latest incident reported on August 31.
Mohamed Khaled said if there were to be any abnormal activities, Malaysia will act in accordance with international practices and norms.
“Therefore, I urge Malaysians to not be concerned about this issue and to have confidence in our national security forces protecting these waters,” he added.
-- BERNAMA
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