Govt asserts for all states to avoid "unilateral action" in South China Sea

Government asserted Thursday that all states should avoid "unilateral action" in South China Sea that will lead to tensions in the region while reacting to China's military buildup to assert dominance in the international waters.

"All states should avoid unilateral action in South China that will lead to tensions in the region," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said when asked about Chinese military buildup in the disputed South China Sea.

"India has repeatedly stressed for respect for freedom of navigation in international waters, the right of passage and overflight, unimpeded commerce and access to resources in accordance with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)," he added. 

Maintaining that its military facilities in the South China Sea are "legal and appropriate", China earlier this week deployed surface-to-air missiles on Woody Island in the sea's Paracel chain and radars on Cuarteron Reef in the Spratly islands further to the south.