The US military has a lot of experience gained in World War II blowing up small man-made islands in the Western Pacific, Joint Staff Director Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie told Pentagon reporters on Thursday, but denied he was trying to send a message to China. He said Beijing has practised bomber flight landings and deployed surface-to-air missiles and other defense assets on artificial islands it has built on contested areas in the South China Sea, ratcheting up tensions in the region.

Katigbak, J. (2018, June 02). We blew up man-made islands before - US. Philippine Star, pp. 1, 4.