US defence chief warns of conflict in S. China Sea

WASHINGTON: US defence secretary Ashton Carter on Saturday warned that land reclamation efforts and a military buildup in the South China Sea could lead to conflict between nations in the region.

Speaking at a defence forum at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California, he also said the US was adapting its military posture to counter increased Russian “aggression”.

Appearing on the final leg of an eight-day trip that included meetings with defence ministers from several nations in the Asia-Pacific region, Carter said his concerns about the frantic pace of land reclamation in the South China Sea were broadly shared.

“The US joins virtually everyone else in the region in being deeply concerned about the pace and scope of land reclamation in the South China Sea,” the Pentagon chief told an audience of senior defence figures.

He added he was worried about “the prospect of further militarisation, as well as the potential for these activities to increase the risk of miscalculation or conflict among claimant states”.

The Reagan National Defence Forum is an annual event that sees dozens of America’s top defence figures – including politicians from both political parties – discuss America’s defence policies.

Carter used his platform to take a swipe at recent Russian army moves.

“At sea, in the air, in space and in cyberspace, Russian actors have engaged in challenging activities.

“And, most disturbing, Moscow’s nuclear saber-rattling raises questions about Russian leaders’ commitment to strategic stability, their respect for norms against the use of nuclear weapons and whether they respect the profound caution nuclear-age leaders showed with regard to the brandishing of nuclear weapons,” he said.

In an echo of some of Reagan’s own attempts to use technology to counter a Soviet nuclear threat, Carter talked up some of America’s new high-tech weaponry, including an electromagnetic railgun that can fire projectiles at an astonishing 7,250kph.

He added that the US was modernising its nuclear arsenal, investing in new technologies such as drones and a new long-range bomber, as well as lasers and new systems for electronic warfare. – AFP