White House spokesman Sean Spicer has addressed the South China Sea dispute,giving an indication of how America will handle the issue under a Trump administration. The dispute has arisen as a result of China’s construction of artificial reefs in the area, and conducting of naval patrols in parts of the sea claimed by other nations. Previously, the Obama administration had officially remained neutral, but did send military aircraft and naval destroyers through the area in 2016, and built relations with nations neighbouring China that also claim a right to use of the South China Sea. Spicer’s comments are more unequivocal. He states that if China is constructing islands in international waters, America will act to ensure that its interests are not taken over by another country. China, via foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying, has responded by reaffirming the legality of its actions in the area, and claiming that the issue is not one that America is party to. The gLAWcal Team LIBEAC project Wednesday, January 25 2017 (Source: BBC News)