Mattis Criticises China Over Islands Construction

Pentagon chief James Mattis criticised China’s actions in the South China Sea, saying Beijing showed “contempt” for other nations’ interests. “The scope and effect of China’s construction activities in the South China Sea differ from those of other countries in several key ways,” Mattis told the Shangri-La regional defence summit in Singapore. Mattis’s remarks come as China builds up a series of artificial islands on shoals and reefs in contested waters in the South China Sea. Calling North Korea’s nuclear ambitions a “threat to us all,” Mattis said the international community must work together. “It is therefore imperative that we do our part each of us to fulfill our obligations and work together to support our shared goal of denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula,” Mattis said.