FM: other countries have deployed radar for decades

China's top diplomat Wang Yi urged the media not to just fixate on what China has deployed in the South China Sea, and he called upon them to check various military facilities deployed by other countries who have illegally occupied part of the Nansha Islands.

The Foreign Minister made the comments when meeting the press along with his US counterpart, Secretary of State John Kerry, following their talks in Washington on Tuesday.

The Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies on Monday released images and claimed that they showed the development of high-frequency radar towers on reefs, such as Huayang Reef on China's Nansha Islands.

In response to a question about the radar, Wang urged reporters not to just focus on whether the radar has been deployed, and should "place more emphasis on those missile-guided destroyers and strategic bombers intruding the South China Sea from time to time".

Wang also reminded reporters to have a better understanding of the fact that countries have, for decades, illegally occupied China's islands and reefs there and that such countries deployed radar of various types as well as other military facilities there for decades.

Beijing "expects less provocation posed by close-in reconnaissance as well as flaunting of advanced weapons", Wang said.

On discussions with his US counterpart on the South China Sea issue, Wang said they both agreed to resolve disputes in a peaceful manner and through negotiation.

The two countries "have also agreed to embark on further communication on maritime issues to boost mutual understanding and to avoid and prevent misjudgment", Wang added.