Chinese experts affiliated with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) are warning of war and saying China can defend its territory, even as the Trump administration doubled down on its vow to stop China from acquiring any more territory in the South China Sea.

"(U.S. Secretary of State Rex)Tillerson's statement from two weeks ago was too arrogant," said Jin Canrong, associate dean of the Department of International Studies at Renmin University of China. 

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"If the new U.S. administration follows this route and adopts this attitude, then it will lead to a war between China and the U.S., and that would mean the end of U.S. history or even all of humanity."

"Although the U.S. is planning to send three aircraft carriers to the West Pacific region, if they invade the South China Sea, we have the ability to destroy them all even they send 10, let alone three," boasted Jin.

Other pundits echoed the same opinion, and emphasized the tactical advantages China enjoys in the South China Sea.

"The islands with airports that we have built in the area are 'unsinkable aircraft carriers' and compare to U.S. aircraft carriers, they have more advantage to some extent," according to Major General Luo Yuan, a vice president with the China Strategic Culture Promotion Association.

"China has capability to protect its own territory."

One pundit attacked the credentials of Tillerson, who was once CEO of U.S. multinational oil giant ExxonMobil.

If an oil tycoon like Tillerson can participate in U.S. diplomatic decision making, it is not a surprise that he will risk the U.S.' national security and Sino-U.S. relations in exchange for his own personal interest, contends Xu Liping, a research fellow at the National Institute of International Strategy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Earlier this month, Tillerson indicated he was in favor of using military force to evict China from the man-made islands it's built in the disputed South China Sea.

Tillerson made these remarks during his confirmation hearing at the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee on Jan. 11. His statements are the first time a U.S. administration has indicated its readiness to use military force to stop China's relentless "sea grab" in the South China Sea.

"We're going to have to send China a clear signal that first, the island-building stops, and second, your access to those islands also not going to be allowed," he said.

The statement implies the use of military force to enforce it.

Tillerson also saw China's activity in the South China Sea as "extremely worrisome."

He compared China's territorial claims over the South China Sea to Russia's military annexation of the Crimea, which belong to Ukraine, in March 2014.

"Building islands and then putting military assets on those islands is akin to Russia's taking of Crimea. It's taking of territory that others lay claim to," Tillerson pointed out.

TagsPeople's Liberation Army, china, rex tillerson, Jin Canrong