Admiral Scott Swift, the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, on Tuesday warned that the freedom of the seas cannot be curtailed by any laws. In a statement obviously directed at China, he noted that "superfluous warnings and restrictions on freedom in the seas" run contrary to United Nations' maritime rules.

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Swift, who was speaking at a navy conference in Australia, explained that failing to resolve the maritime dispute could see things escalate and affect the lives of people ashore.

Swift's statement in Australia comes after China censured the country's new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in September for characterizing its activities in the South China Sea as "pushing the envelope."

China's territorial claim in the South China Sea has been a source of tension in the region where several countries - including the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia - also have overlapping interests.

For its part, the U.S., which maintains close ties with many nations involved in the dispute, has vowed to play a leading role in settling the issue. However, China has refused to participate in any arbitration initiated by a third party. U.S. officials have noted that both the Philippines and China would be obligated to accept the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the issue. But China has refused to participate in the case, which was initiated by the Philippines in July.

In June, Swift attracted criticisms from China after joining a routine surveillance flight over the contested territory. Recently, he has called for the U.S. Third Fleet and the U.S. Seventh Fleet to work together on areas with the "greatest instability" - which many suspect includes the South China Sea.

Over the past two years, China has reclaimed more than 2,000 acres of land from several contested islands in the South China Sea. In August, Chinese authorities vowed to halt further land reclamation. Meanwhile, the latest satellite images apparently show that China has finished building its first airstrip in the region. The 3,125-metres long airstrip on the Fiery Cross Reef (known as Yongshu Reef in China), is capable of landing most of China's military planes. The construction of similar-sized airstrips is reported to be ongoing on at least two other islands in the contested area.

Many analysts have voiced concerns that the airstrips would boost China's ability to patrol and enforce restrictions on movement in the region. But Chinese authorities say the facilities under construction on the disputed islands are meant to improve the living conditions of people stationed there and enable environmental monitoring.

While visiting the U.S. last month, President Xi Jinping said China is not planning to militarize the Spratly islands. He reiterated China's claims of ownership, adding the it's activities in the South China Sea "do not target or impact any country."

TagsAdmiral Scott Swift, South China Sea Case Permanent Court of Arbitration, south china sea news