China 'needs Sea defences against US'

China "really needs" its defences in the South China Sea in the face of a militarisation process being pushed by the United States, and can deploy whatever equipment it wants on its own soil, China's Defence Ministry says.

China and the US have sparred repeatedly over the past week following reports China is deploying advanced missiles, fighters and radar equipment on islands in the South China Sea, especially on Woody Island in the Paracels.

The US has accused China of militarising the disputed waters. Beijing, for its part, has been angered by "freedom of navigation" air and sea patrols the US has conducted near islands China claims in the South China Sea.

Those have included one by two B-52 strategic bombers in November and by a US navy destroyer that sailed within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island in the Paracels last month.

"The United States is the real promoter of the militarisation of the South China Sea," defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian told a regular monthly news briefing on Thursday.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/china-needs-sea-defences-against-us/news-story/e8d53b63871f7786f10ac1895fc603fd