President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of State has set the stage for a potential showdown with China over the South China Sea, saying that China should be denied access to the artificial islands it has built in the disputed waters.
Rex told his confirmation hearing on Wednesday that China’s activity in the waters, which see $5 trillion in ship borne trade a year, was “extremely worrisome,” CNN reported. China responded saying that countries in the region have come to consensus which the countries outside the region should respect.
The comments during his day-long testimony before the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee look set to inflame tensions with China, which claims much of the South China Sea as an integral part of its territory.