Title:

 China welcomes Mattis' emphasis on South China Sea diplomacy

Author:

Reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Robert Birsel

Source:

Reuters

Date:

 February 6, 2017

Description:

China on Monday welcomed U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' suggestion that diplomacy should be the priority in the South China Sea, and that major U.S. military action was not being considered to contend with China's assertive behavior there.