WASHINGTON has reportedly informed some Southeast Asian nations via diplomatic channels that the United States Navy is planning to send one or more surface ships within 12 nautical miles of Chinese islands in the South China Sea, in what it claims are "freedom of navigation" operations. Comments:

By no means will China let the provocateurs make waves in waters that should be characterized by peace, friendship and cooperation. Even though enhancing mutual trust and managing disputes through high-level visits and talks remains the preferred option for China, the country should, without any doubt, adopt countermeasures against the United States if it does not stop its military provocations that infringe upon China. People with vision in Washington should and must see clearly China's determination to safeguard national sovereignty and regional security.

Xinhua News Agency, Oct 17

The truth is, the US government is aware that China's construction of civilian and public facilities on the Nansha Islands and reefs does not violate the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea, which is why it could not stop the construction work. China will not sit idly by should the US deliberately threaten its sovereignty with radical moves and try to ignore the legitimacy of its island construction work that provides public services to the international community.

Global Times, Oct 15

By distorting China's lawful infrastructural construction in the South China Sea as "militarization", Washington has adopted a double standard and interpreted the term in its own interests. In fact, as much as it hates to admit it, planning to deploy about 60 percent of US military vessels and aircraft in the Asia-Pacific region is militarizing the neighborhood. Such moves will only make the US government look foolish.

Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, Oct 17

For a long time, the US has been a firm upholder of so-called freedom of navigation across the globe, which in essence, serves as a convenient excuse for the country to challenge other regional players' sovereignty of their exclusive economic zones. Given the fact that freedoms of overflight and navigation in the South China Sea have never been affected, Washington probably wants to enhance its "pivot to Asia" deployment by backing regional countries, such as the Philippines, that have territorial disputes with China.

People's Daily Overseas Edition, Oct 16