Mattis: China breaking vow on islands
He says nation is placing weapons on disputed land
HONOLULU — The U.S. will continue to confront China’s militarization of manmade islands in the South China Sea, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday, arguing that Beijing hasn’t abided by its promise not to put weapons on the Spratly Islands.
Mattis said American ships are maintaining a “steady drumbeat” of naval operations around the disputed islands, adding that “only one country” seems to be bothered by the vessels’ routine activities.
“We are going out of our way to cooperate with Pacific nations; that’s the way we do business in the world,” Mattis told reporters traveling with him to a national security conference in Singapore. “But we are also going to confront what we believe is out of step with international law, out of step with international tribunals that have spoken on the issue.”
China says it is within its rights to build up defenses on islands in the South China Sea that it believes are its sovereign territory.
Mattis said other nations in the region are concerned about the weaponization of the islands and reefs, and they want to see continued freedom of navigation operations in the international waters.
“If you notice, there’s only one country that seems to take active steps to rebuff them or state their resentment of them,” Mattis said, referring to China.
Mattis was stopping in Hawaii on his way to the Singapore meeting so he could attend the ceremony marking the change in leadership at U.S. Pacific Command.
U.S. Navy Adm. Philip Davidson is set to take over PACOM from Adm. Harry Harris during the change of command on Wednesday.
Harris has been nominated to become the next U.S. ambassador to South Korea.