US presidential candidate promises to fly over artificial islands in the East Sea

A US presidential candidate declared that if elected, the first thing he would do with China would be to fly over the artificial islands Beijing illegally built in the Spratly Islands.

Chris Christie, Republican presidential candidate. Photo: AP

According to the Washington Post, in response to a question about cyber attacks and spying on the US, Chris Christie, Governor of New Jersey and Republican presidential candidate, yesterday raised the issue of China's artificial islands being turned into illegal military bases in the Spratly Islands.

Christie said that US President Barack Obama was slow to send ships within 12 nautical miles of artificial islands China built in the East Sea. "I will tell you this, the first thing I will do with the Chinese, I will fly on Air Force One over those islands. They will know we are serious."

Mr Christie also called the foreign policy of Obama and Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential frontrunner, "weak" and "ineffective".

Last week, Washington sent the guided-missile destroyer Lassen within 12 nautical miles of at least one of China’s artificial islands in the Spratly Islands, the first US patrol within 12 nautical miles of the features since China began building them in late 2013. The move has drawn a strong response from Beijing.

According to VNE