Freedom of navigation a 'nonissue' and 'no excuse for provocations'

State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Chang Wanquan has said that the so-called freedom of navigation issue in the South China Sea is "a false proposition", and therefore it cannot be taken as "an excuse for provocations".

Chang made the remarks after a minority of attending countries attending the third ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Wednesday, hyped the navigation freedom concept.

The regional situation has witnessed rising tension following the Oct 27 illegal entry by a US warship into waters close to a Chinese reef of the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea.