China accuses US commander of using smears to seek funds

“When they put their advanced missile systems on the Paracels, and when they build three 10,000 foot runways in the Spratlys on the basis that they’ve reclaimed – when they do all of that, they’re changing the operational landscape in the South China Sea”, Harris said.

The white paper said that Australia’s military needs to be ready to counter rivalries and growing military capabilities in the region, and protect their interests especially in the South China Sea and the Korean peninsula. In a way, it could serve to intimidate the governments of other countries which are also claiming ownership of the island such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei, ABC.net has learned.

The United States, which is anxious by China’s military buildup to assert dominance in the South China Sea, will increase freedom-of-navigation operations there, a senior Pentagon official said on Wednesday.

He has also dismissed as “tone deaf” a Chinese government official who compared China’s deployment of defense facilities on land features in the South China Sea to what the USA does in undisputed Hawaii. “It will continue to be Australia’s most important strategic partner through our long-standing alliance, and the active presence of the United States will continue to underpin the stability of our region”.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met U.S. national security adviser Susan Rice in Washington.

“So let’s give China a chance here and see if they’ll opt for a more stabilizing, less tense situation, or whether they’ll opt to be a provocative, destabilizing influence in the region”, Harris said.

China is believed to be considering effectively implementing an anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategy to ensure naval and air supremacy, thereby deterring the intervention of the USA military in times of emergency.

He also said China’s military facilities on islands and reefs were needed for self-defense as other nations had already militarized surrounding shores.

Beijing accuses Washington of meddling in the regional issues and deliberately stirring up tensions in the South China Sea.

“Joining these military exercises will be beneficial to improving the Chinese navy’s ability to contend with non-traditional security threats”, said Wu Qian, a spokesman for China’s Ministry of Defense.

However, given that some Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries have friendly relations with China, the global community does not always act in concert regarding policies toward China and the South China Sea. The heavily armed warships can conduct the type of freedom of navigation operations close to China’s newly constructed islands without being forced to retreat if challenged.

Satellite photos revealed this week that China has placed surface-to-air missiles and fighter jets in the Paracel Island chain. Japan ignored the order, and President Barack Obama, on a trip to Japan, warned China that any attack on Japanese aircraft would force the United States, bound by treaty, to defend Japan from China.