SINGAPORE -- China vigorously defended its South China Sea land reclamation projects in the face of persistent criticism from U.S. leaders at an international security summit Saturday as the standoff in the Asia-Pacific region shows few signs of abating.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter and other officials sharply condemned the artificial island-building, but provided no details on what steps the U.S. may take to press China into diplomatic talks. Carter said China's land reclamation was out of step with international rules,
and that turning underwater land into airfields would not expand its sovereignty.
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