Pentagon chief urges end to island-building in South China Sea

Chinese dredging vessels are purportedly seen in the waters around Mischief Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea in this still image from video taken by a P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft provided by the United States Navy May 21, 2015. REUTERS/U.S. Navy/Handout via Reuters

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter called on Wednesday for an immediate end to island-building by China and other countries near the South China Sea, urging the participants to stop militarising the dispute and find a peaceful solution.

Carter said China's island-building efforts were "out of step" with the regional consensus and that U.S. military aircraft and warships would continue to operate in the area as permitted under international law.