After President-elect Donald Trump's pick for secretary of state made strong statements about China's actions in the South China Sea, Chinese officials have responded with muted, measured statements — while state-run media have warned of the potential for conflict and retaliation.Rex Tillerson, the former Exxon Mobil CEO nominated to lead the U.S. State Department, had a confirmation hearing Wednesday. He told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that China's actions in the South China Sea were "extremely worrisome" and compared them to Russia's annexation of Crimea.Beijing has claimed most of the South China Sea as its territory, a stance rejected by an international tribunal. China has also built artificial islands with military capabilities in the disputed territory. The U.S. has declined to take an official position on the competing claims, but periodically patrols the waters and emphasizes the need for international freedom of movement.Tillerson said the situation was a potential "threat to the entire global economy."Asked Wednesday whether he supports a more aggressive U.S. posture in the South China Sea, Tillerson said, "You're going to have to send China a clear signal that, first, the island-building stops, and second, your access to those islands is also not going to be allowed."Tillerson also sharply criticized China for failing to dissuade North Korea over its nuclear program. He said the U.S. "cannot continue to accept empty promises like the ones China has made to pressure North Korea to reform.""Such rhetoric from Washington isn't surprising," The Associated Press notes. "Past U.S. administrations have entered office seeking to get tougher on China, and failed."China's official response has been to play down the significance of Tillerson's remarks, the AP reports:
