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WORLD NEWS Monday 25 June 2018

U.S. Defense chief to visit China amid S. China Sea tensions

By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN find a way to work more
Associated Press collaboratively with all of
BEIJING (AP) — U.S. De- the nations who have in-
fense Secretary Jim Mattis, terests,” Mattis said earlier
who has accused China this month. The Pentagon
of “intimidation and coer- last month withdrew its invi-
cion” in the South China tation for China to partici-
Sea, visits Beijing this week pate in a large-scale mul-
as the countries increas- tinational naval exercise in
ingly spar over U.S. arms what it called “an initial re-
sales to Taiwan and Bei- sponse” to the militarization
jing’s expanding military of the South China Sea.
presence overseas. Mattis KOREAN PENINSULA
will be the first defense sec- China was seen as taking
retary in President Donald home a major win when
Trump’s administration to Trump announced at the
visit China. His trip highlights summit with Kim that the U.S.
the need for the U.S. and its would suspend joint U.S.-
chief rival in East Asia to en- South Korean war games
gage each other despite that North Korea and Chi-
increasingly stark differenc- na have long opposed.
es and mutual suspicion. Both Mattis and South Ko-
Mattis’ mission comes at a rea were seen as caught In this Wednesday, June 20, 2018, file photo, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, center, steps away
difficult time as the Trump off-guard by the decision. after speaking with the media at the Pentagon.
administration is set to start U.S. and South Korean of- Associated Press
taxing $34 billion in Chinese ficials now see the pledge ruled island that Beijing the Pentagon to create a presence in the South Chi-
goods in two weeks while as helping advance nucle- claims as its territory, and new “Space Force” drew na Sea, China’s People’s
Beijing has vowed to re- ar negotiations with North selling more weapons to it. attention in China and may Liberation Army is expand-
taliate with its own tariffs on Korea. China welcomed Mattis will likely hear those be among the items for dis- ing its footprint in areas
U.S. products. The U.S. ap- the move, and Kim met arguments made even cussion in Beijing. Trump where the U.S. and its al-
pears likely to rely on China with Chinese President Xi more forcibly after Trump framed space as a nation- lies have traditionally held
for help getting North Ko- Jinping in Beijing last week, this year signed the Taiwan al security issue, saying he sway.
rea to deliver on denucle- though no new measures Travel Act encouraging does not want “China and Most strikingly, China
arization promises made toward denuclearization high-level visits between Russia and other countries opened its first foreign mili-
at this month’s summit be- have been announced. the two sides, and the leading us.” While the U.S. tary base in Djibouti last
tween Trump and North Ko- Trump said last week that Department of Defense has dominated in space year, joining the U.S. and a
rean leader Kim Jong Un. A “total denuclearization” agreed to give American since its 1969 moon land- number of other countries
look at some of the thorny has “already started taking contractors marketing li- ing, China is making strong with military installations in
issues: place.” censes for diesel-electric headway, while Russia is in the Horn of Africa nation.
SOUTH CHINA SEA SPAR- Mattis, however, was asked submarine technology decline. Operating in closer prox-
RING whether he had seen any sought by Taiwan’s armed China says it opposes imity has at times created
The South China Sea will sign that North Korea had forces. The U.S. govern- the militarization of outer friction — the U.S. issued a
likely be near the top of the begun steps toward de- ment also approved a space, but demonstrated formal complaint to Beijing
agenda in discussions be- nuclearization and replied: $1.4 billion arms sale to Tai- its growing prowess in the over the use of lasers that
tween Mattis and Chinese “I’m not aware of any. Ob- wan last year, although in field in 2007 when it fired a targeted U.S. aircraft in Dji-
officials, with the U.S. issuing viously, we’re at the very an effort to mollify Beijing, missile that destroyed a de- bouti on several occasions.
threats against Beijing for its front end of the process.” has been reluctant to sup- funct Chinese satellite, cre- The U.S. has also com-
continued militarization of TANGLING OVER TAIWAN ply everything the island’s ating an enormous debris plained about danger-
the waters. China’s complaints about leadership wants. field and drawing concerns ous maneuvers by Chi-
“There are consequences U.S. contacts with Taiwan TRUMP’S “SPACE FORCE” from the U.S. and others. nese military aircraft tailing
that will continue to come have grown louder, with CALL CHINESE ARMY’S OVERSEAS U.S. surveillance planes in
home to roost, so to speak, the U.S. seeking to increase Trump’s announcement last EXPANSION the South and East China
with China if they don’t exchanges with the self- week that he was directing In addition to its increased seas.q