The U.S. Navy’s “freedom of the seas” concept must prevail and be a key factor in maintaining Peace through Strength, and we must keep the South China open and free to all international commerce
On 20 April, 2018, Bill Gertz wrote an article about the written statement of the new Pacific command nominee, Admiral Philip Davidson, to the Senate Armed Services Committee. In his statement, Admiral Davidson conceded, in discussing the creation of China’s artificial islands and their militarization in the South China Sea, that they, in effect, have control over the entire area and “present a substantial challenge to U.S. military operations in the region.” Despite China’s President Xi Jinping’s statement on 25 September 2015 at the White House that he had no intention to militarize these islands, China has built four airfields on these islands, and has now installed not only air defense missile systems, but also anti-ship cruise missile systems. Nonetheless, these so-called “stationary island carriers” cannot move, and therefore are vulnerable.