Senior White House official Daniel Kritenbrink is calling for China to show flexibility in its relations with Taiwan. Kritenbrink was speaking in Washington on Friday, local time.
According to the AFP, China has deployed missiles, radar facilities, runways, and fighter jets in an islet in the South China Sea and raised cross-strait tensions.
Kritenbrink is the senior director for Asia of the National Security Council. He said the US repeatedly has encouraged Beijing to show flexibility and creativity in cross-strait relations.
Chinese president Xi Jinping has said that China does not intend to militarize the islands of the South China Sea.
Kritenbrink said the US hopes that Xi will extend his promise to the whole South China Sea.