|
 In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and U.S. Defense
Secretary Ash Carter, Republican Senators John McCain and Bob Corker
and Democrats Jack Reed and Bob Menendez said that without a
comprehensive strategy "long-standing interests of the United
States, as well as our allies and partners, stand at considerable
risk."
They said China's land reclamation and construction in the South
China Sea's Spratly archipelago gave it the potential to expand its
military reach and was "a direct challenge, not only to the
interests of the United States and the region, but to the entire
international community."
The letter said Gaven Reef had grown about 28 acres (114,000 square
meters) in the past year and previously submerged Johnson Reef was
now a 25-acre (100,000-square-meter) "island." Fiery Cross reef
increased in size more than 11-fold since August.
 "While other states have built on existing land masses, China is
changing the size, structure and physical attributes of land
features themselves," the letter said. "This is a qualitative change
that appears designed to alter the status quo in the South China
Sea."
It said any attempt by China to militarize the artificial islands
could have "serious consequences" and could embolden Beijing to
declare a new air defense zone in the South China Sea like it
announced in 2013 in an area contested with Japan.
The senators, who head the Senate Armed Services Committee and the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the strategy should lay out
"specific actions the United States can take to slow down or stop
China's reclamation activities... ."
[to top of second column] |
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei, asked about the letter,
said China's activities in the South China Sea were "fair,
reasonable and legal".
"We have a right to do this," Hong added, without elaborating.
China claims about 90 percent of the potentially energy rich South
China Sea. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan
also have overlapping claims.
Chinese reclamation work is well advanced on six Spratly reefs and
workers are building ports and fuel storage depots and possibly two
airstrips. Experts say this will not overturn U.S. regional military
superiority but could allow Beijing to project power deep into the
maritime heart of Southeast Asia.
(Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Editing by David
Storey and Cynthia Osterman)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
