washington u.s. president-elect donald trump nominee secretary state set course potentially serious confrontation beijing say china deny access islands build contest south china sea comment expect enrage beijing rex tillerson tell confirmation hear wednesday u.s. senate foreign relations committee china build islands put military assets islands akin russia take crimea ukraine ask whether support aggressive posture toward china say go send china clear signal first island-building stop second access islands also go allow former exxon mobil corp xom.n chairman chief executive elaborate might do deny china access islands build south china sea reef equip military-length airstrips fortify weapons trump transition team immediately respond request specifics china might block artificial islands china claim energy-rich water trillion ship-borne trade pass every year neighbor brunei malaysia philippines taiwan vietnam also claim ask repeatedly tillerson comment block access islands china foreign ministry spokesman lu kang say make guess tillerson refer would answer hypothetical question china right carry normal activities sovereign territory south china sea indisputable lu say speak daily brief thursday elaborate tillerson also say washington need reaffirm commitment taiwan beijing regard renegade province stop short trump question washington long-standing policy issue unite state switch diplomatic recognition taiwan china 1979 acknowledge china take position one china taiwan part unite state also taiwan big ally arm supplier know plan alter one china position tillerson say tillerson say consider china south china sea activity extremely worrisome would threat entire global economy beijing able dictate access waterway blame current situation term inadequate u.s. response failure response allow keep push envelope tillerson say way get deal get show back region traditional ally southeast asia say democratic president barack obama administration conduct periodic air naval patrol assert right free navigation south china sea anger beijing seek blockade china man-made islands would major step step washington never raise option strategic pivot asia obama increase u.s. military presence region trump vow major naval buildup tillerson word also go beyond trump tough rhetoric china regional military source say u.s. navy extensive capabilities asia stage block operations ship submarine plan move china grow naval fleet would risk dangerous escalations obama seek forge unite front southeast asia china pursuit territorial claim ally partner rival claimants reluctant challenge beijing tillerson call china south china sea island-building declaration air defense zone east china sea contest japan illegal action take territory control declare control territories rightfully china say response mute philippines traditional u.s. ally last year international arbitration case include challenge china island-building within 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone policies yet let us wait implement say hear defense secretary delfin lorenzana tell reporters thursday let wait trump office comment reflect sharp change manila approach china new president rodrigo duterte want good diplomatic business tie beijing say challenge provocative pointless make secret lack trust obama administration chide consider inaction south china sea tillerson also say unite state could continue accept empty promise china make put pressure north korea country nuclear missile program say approach deal north korea recently declare close carry first test intercontinental ballistic missile would long-term plan base sanction proper implementation ask washington consider impose secondary sanction chinese entities find violate exist sanction north korea tillerson say china go comply u.n. sanction appropriate ... unite state consider action compel comply accuse china fail live global agreements trade intellectual property echo past remark trump threaten impose high retaliatory tariff china tillerson also stress deeply intertwine nature world two big economies let disagreements issue exclude areas productive partnership say tillerson say china bar south china sea islands