A recent comment by U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter regarding the South China Sea has again prompted many to wonder if the self-proclaimed world "Anchor of Peace" is really so keen on quiet waters.
During his just-concluded first visit to Japan as U.S. defense chief, Carter said he was "especially concerned" about China's land reclamation efforts regarding the South China Sea.
The irresponsible remarks accusing China of creating a "prospect of militarization of these outposts" not only ignore the fact that the reclamation projects all involve islands belonging to China or its territorial waters, but also represent the latest breach of the U.S. commitment not to take sides on the South China Sea issue.
Washington has repeatedly violated its pledge to remain neutral regarding disputes on the South China Sea. Moreover, it has never missed an opportunity to talk about the "China threat" when it comes to the issue, and tries to pit other countries against China.
Such behavior is motivated by the U.S. assumption that China, now a global economic heavyweight, may seek to overturn U.S. supremacy in global politics and its overwhelming military presence in many regions.
However, the truth is that China has honored its commitment to peaceful development and never wants to compete for influence with other countries, including the United States.
But the United States, with its unrivaled political clout and military prowess, is still paranoid about China, perhaps because the superpower suffers from an underlying sense of insecurity.
Moreover, although it is geographically an outsider, the United States has become increasingly meddlesome where the South China Sea dispute is concerned.
Its obsession with China-bashing aside, the U.S. meddling in the South China Sea issue shows that the so-called "Anchor of Peace" is in fact stirring up the waters and fishing for trouble.
For Southeast Asian countries that have disputes with China on the South China Sea, they should be wary and recognize that the United States has ulterior motives for repeatedly diving its nose into the issue.
It is in the best interests of those parties involved in the South China Sea issue to find a peaceful solution on their own, instead of being dictated to by an outside power that could easily escape unscathed should the disputes escalate into conflicts.
