WW3 WARNING: China ‘INTIMIDATING neighbours’ – Mattis pledges US will ‘compete vigorously’
CHINA is intimidating neighbours in the disputed South China Sea region with aggressive behaviour such as deploying rockets, said US Defence Secretary James Mattis.
By ROB VIRTUE
Express.co.uk
Sat, Jun 2, 2018
The United States is willing to work with China on a “results- oriented” relationship, but Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea were coercive and the Pentagon would “compete vigorously” if needed, Major Mattis said.
General Mattis, speaking at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore at a time of increased tension between the two nations, highlight how President Donald Trump’s administration is looking to balance China’s cooperation on North Korea while dealing with its activities in the disputed sea.
The US chief, who said he would be travelling to Beijing this month, added: “China’s policy in the South China Sea stands in stark contrast to the openness that our strategy promotes, it calls into question China’s broader goals.
“The U.S. will continue to pursue a constructive, results-oriented relationship with China, cooperation whenever possible will be the name of the game and competing vigorously where we must … of course we recognise any sustainable Indo-Pacific order has a role for China.”
Last month, China’s air force landed bombers on disputed islands and reefs in the South China Sea as part of a training exercise, triggering concern from Vietnam and the Philippines.
Satellite photographs taken on May 12 showed China appeared to have deployed truck-mounted surface-to-air missiles or anti-ship cruise missiles at Woody Island in the disputed sea.
Mr Mattis told the summit China had also placed electronic jammers in the South China Sea region.
Mattie said: ”Despite China’s claims to the contrary, the placement of these weapon systems is tied directly to military use for the purposes of intimidation and coercion.”
But China hit back at the US general’s comments, with a military official describing them as “irresponsible”.
He Lei, the head of the Chinese delegation to the dialogue, said the islands were Chinese territory and it was “a sovereign and legal right for China to place our army and military weapons there.”
He, who is deputy president of the Academy of Military Sciences at the People’s Liberation Army, said: “We see any other country that tries to make noise about this as interfering in our internal affairs.”
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