Tension is continuing to escalate over the Solomon Islands after the Pacific island nation signed a security deal with China. On Tuesday, a high-ranking U.S. diplomat refused to rule out the U.S. taking military action against the Solomon Islands if China established a military presence on the islands. During a press briefing, the State Department official, Daniel Kritenbrink, said the U.S. respects the Solomon Islands’ sovereignty, but warned against China’s presence in the region, saying the United States would “very naturally respond to those concerns.” By some counts, the U.S. operates over 800 military bases around the world. China opened its first overseas base just four years ago in the African nation of Djibouti.

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