2015年CRI 孙建国在香格里拉对话会上就南海问题做出回应 13名MERS密切接触者仍失联（在线收听）

A senior Chinese military official has again defended China's land reclamation work in the South China Sea.

Speaking at the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore, Admiral Sun Jianguo says China's actions are legitimate and they do not threaten another country or affect freedom of navigation.

He has also pledged that China will properly handle the disputes in the South China Sea.

Sun's speech comes after US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter spoke at the forum, criticizing China's island-building activities.

Issues in the South China Sea have been a major focus of the three-day security forum in Singapore.

Authorities in Guangdong are still trying to reach 13 people who had close contact with the first Middle East Respiratory Syndrome patient in China.

None of the people quarantined has shown any symptoms of the disease.

The condition of China's first MERS patient, a South Korean national, has worsened.

Authorities says they believe 77 people in the southern Chinese province came into close contact with the man.

In South Korea, the total number of confirmed cases diagnosed with MERS has increased to 15.