US: Impact of losing access to South China Sea goes beyond military

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But he said that the United States has no expectation that such a loss of access would ever occur.

The US Navy has angered China by sending warships close to artificial islands built by Beijing that include airstrips and radar stations. The US lays no claims to the waters but says it has an interest in ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight and peaceful resolution of ownership disputes.

Swift said there was a “palpable sense” that an attitude of “might makes right” was returning to the region after 70 years of security and stability since World War II.

While the United States was increasing its military presence in the region as part of its pivot to Asia, Swift said there was no need for more US naval facilities in countries such as Australia.

“There’s no real necessity, in fact it become a facilities burden, if we were to expand in some other way. That’s not something that I would support,” Swift said.

Australia is increasing its defense ties with the United States, its most important strategic ally, as tensions and a military build-up mount in the South China Sea.