SIMI VALLEY, United States: US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter warned on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) that land reclamation efforts and a military build-up in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) could lead to conflict between nations in the region.

Appearing on the final leg of an eight-day trip that included meetings with defense ministers from several nations in the Asia-Pacific region, Carter said his concerns about the frantic pace of land reclamation in the South China Sea were broadly shared.

Premium + Digital Edition

Ad-free access


P 80 per month
(billed annually at P 960)
  • Unlimited ad-free access to website articles
  • Limited offer: Subscribe today and get digital edition access for free (accessible with up to 3 devices)

TRY FREE FOR 14 DAYS
See details
See details