opening remarks. we have important economic relationships and our economies are intertwined. we have to look at china activities. the one with the island building in south china sea and declaration of a space close to it japan. they are taking territory or declaring control of territories that are not rightfully chinas. the island building in many respectses in high view. putting military assets on that island is akin to russia's taking of crimea. it is taking territory that the others lay claim to. what the u.s. can dispute the