Disputes over territory in the South China Sea are causing countries in the region to increase their demand for an American security presence, the U.S. defense chief said on Sunday. A U.S. warship sailed within 12 nautical miles of one of China's man-made islands in South China Sea on Tuesday in the most significant U.S. challenge yet to
Dangerous Escalation: Pentagon Chief Calls For Increasing Military Presence Off China’s Shores
The move triggered an angry rebuke from Beijing and a warning that a minor incident in the area, which is one of the world’s busiest sea lanes, could spark war if the United States did not stop what it called “provocative acts.”