US actions cause of tensions in South China Sea

When US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on board a US aircraft carrier in the South China Sea on Friday that "what's new is the context of tension which exists which we want to reduce," he did anything but that. Instead, he further raised tensions in the waters.

The US defense chief's muscle flexing reflected the United States' determination to step up its involvement in the South China Sea.

This is the second time in five months that the Pentagon chief has boarded a US aircraft carrier sailing through disputed waters in the South China Sea. These are more than just symbolic moves. They are part of a series of maneuverings by the US as it shifts to the fore in the waters in its bid to contain China.