Daniel Russel, assistant U.S. secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, was responding to a Chinese statement Tuesday, saying the country would complete island-building efforts “in the upcoming days.” Construction of military and civilian facilities on the new and expanded islands would continue, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
“The recent announcement out of Beijing that the Chinese government intends to continue and expand the construction of facilities on the reclaimed outposts that it’s been constructing in the South China Sea is troubling,” Russel said at a briefing Thursday in Washington. “Frankly, we’re concerned, and others are concerned.”
The U.S. will levy its protest during the Sino-U.S. talks, which are slated to start Monday and include Secretary of State John Kerry and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang.
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