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Admiral Harry
Harris, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, highlighted key
aspects of the Pentagon's freshly drafted Asia Pacific Maritime
Security Strategy during talks with his Filipino counterpart,
General Hernando Iriberri, during a visit to Manila.
Colonel Restituto Padilla, a military spokesman, told
journalists that the report outlined Washington's set of actions
in the disputed South China Sea and East China Sea, focusing on
the protection of "freedom of seas", deterring conflict and
coercion, and promoting adherence to international law.
China claims most of the South China Sea, through which $5
trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines,
Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also have overlapping
claims.
A military source, who was in the meeting between Harris and
Iriberri, told Reuters the U.S. and the Philippines are expected
to increase the size, frequency and sophistication of exercises
in the region.
Since China's land reclamation efforts began in December 2013,
it has reclaimed more than 2,900 acres (1,170 hectares) of land
as of June 2015, the Pentagon said last week in a report on its
Asia-Pacific Maritime Security Strategy.
The reclamation campaign significantly outweighed efforts by
other claimants in size, pace and nature, the Pentagon report
said.
China says the outposts will have undefined military purposes,
as well as help with maritime search and rescue, disaster relief
and navigation.
(Reporting By Manuel Mogato; Editing By Jeremy Laurence)
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