US Pacific Commander: China Can't Shut off South China Sea
Admiral Harry Harris of U.S. Pacific Command outlined regional priorities for the United States.
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By Ankit Panda
December 14, 2016
Speaking at a think tank in Australia, Admiral Harry Harris, commander of U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM), said that the United States would not allow China to block access to the South China Sea, where Beijing is mired in a range of disputes with other claimants including Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Taiwan.
“We will not allow shared domains to be closed down unilaterally no matter how many bases are built on artificial islands in the South China Sea,” Harris said. “We will cooperate where we can but we will confront them where we must,” he continued.
“As China’s navy grows bigger and has a more global reach, they’re going to appreciate the freedom of navigation concept in other countries and other regions in the world,” he said.
http://thediplomat.com/2016/12/us-pacific-commander-china-cant-shut-off-south-china-sea/
