The United States accused China of placing artillery on islands it is building in the South China Sea, as Japan and the European Union beseeched all parties involved in the complex showdown to let cooler heads prevail.
George Soros, a rich investor, said that military spending is rising in China and it could lead to World War III soon.
The government of China has told the United States that it should reduce or stop surveillance flights altogether over territory China claims, if the United States seeks to repair its relationship with China.
In a move sure to stoke tensions in East Asia, China has announced plans to construct lighthouses on a number of islands and reefs in the South China Sea claimed by other nations.
