Insights｜Expert criticizes U.S. 'Freedom of Navigation' as double standards, hegemony under the guise of peace
(By Feng Xiaoyan)
(ECNS) -- Zhang Haiwen, researcher and former director of China Institute for Marine Affairs, Ministry of Natural Resources, said in a recent interview with China News Network that the so-called "freedom of navigation" advocated by the U.S. is not the freedom of navigation on the high seas as defined by international law.
She pointed out that, according to international law, the exercise of freedom of navigation on the high seas carries a precondition: it must be conducted solely for peaceful purposes. However, based on the United States' actions around the world, its so-called "freedom of navigation" operations do not promote regional peace but rather introduce instability.
Zhang said the United States frequently conducts military operations in areas such as the South China Sea under the pretext of "freedom of navigation," a practice that has drawn widespread doubts and opposition from the international community. In fact, many of these operations take place within the exclusive economic zones of other countries, involving a wide range of areas and occurring at a high frequency.The essence of these activities is not to safeguard navigation rights but to use military presence to serve U.S. hegemonic objectives.
"The direct consequence of such actions is a serious threat to regional stability and security," Zhang emphasized. She noted that if foreign military vessels constantly operate within a country's jurisdictional waters, that country can hardly feel secure.
She further pointed out that the United States practices an obvious double standard. When conducting military activities in the waters under the jurisdiction of China and other countries, the U.S. military often disregards protests and objections from those countries. However, its approach is entirely different when dealing with some South American countries. According to some of these countries, when the United States carries out military reconnaissance or surveying activities within their exclusive economic zones, it takes the initiative to notify them and follows the relevant procedures for conducting marine scientific research in exclusive economic zones as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
"This clearly demonstrates U.S. double standards," Zhang said. She added that for similar actions, the United States cites different legal justifications and takes different approaches depending on the target country or region, a practice entirely inconsistent with customary international law its claimed adherence to.
Zhang emphasized that the so-called "freedom of navigation" operations in the jurisdictional waters of multiple countries are, in essence, demonstrations and projection of military power. These actions not only seriously violate international law but also contravene the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Therefore, Zhang said, the U.S. practices are neither legal nor legitimate and they lack broad international recognition.
"If the United States' actions were truly ‘based on customary international law,' then it should apply a consistent and uniform standards," Zhang said. She noted that international law should be applied consistently, and it cannot change depending on the country involved. By taking different policies and actions toward different nations, the United States exposes the true intention behind its operations: to pursue hegemony in the name of peace.