US warns 'next step' could be to test Beijing's territorial claims in South China Sea

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/22/us-warns-next-step-could-be-to-test-beijings-territorial-claims-in-south-china-sea

US officials say they are weighing sending warships and surveillance aircraft within 12 nautical miles of the disputed artificial islands

US warns 'next step' could be to test Beijing's territorial claims in South China Sea
Agence France-Presse
Friday 22 May 2015 00.13 EDT

US surveillance aircraft and naval ships have yet to test China’s territorial claims around artificial islands built in the South China Sea, but the Pentagon warned Thursday that could be “the next step”.

Although the United States does not recognise China’s claims of sovereignty around the manmade structures, American P-8 surveillance planes and naval vessels patrolling the area have not ventured within 12 nautical miles of the artificial islands – the standard territorial zone around natural land.

“That would be the next step,” Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steven Warren told reporters.

Asked if the military would move to within that sensitive zone, he said: “We don’t have any announcement to make on next steps. We are going to continue our routine flights.”