Uss Lassen

An Australian military surveillance plane has flown near disputed areas of the South China Sea, it emerged Wednesday, with the crew heard warning China's navy it was on a freedom of navigation mission.

Japan today backed the United States sailing warships close to disputed land in the South China Sea but said it had no plans to send its own maritime forces to support the operation.

Beijing has the "right and ability" to seize South China Sea islands occupied by other countries, a senior Chinese diplomat said today, ahead of regional summits expected to discuss the contested waters.

As soon as the guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen breached 12-nautical-mile territorial limits around one of China's man-made islands in the disputed South China Sea last week, a Chinese warship shadowing its movements began demanding answers.

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter visited an aircraft carrier in the South China Sea today, amid rising tensions over Chinese sovereignty claims in the disputed waterway.

A meeting of Asia-Pacific defence ministers has scrapped plans for a joint declaration after the Chinese delegation lobbied to block mention of Beijing's island-building activities in the disputed South China Sea, a US defence official said today.

The US military will continue to operate "wherever" international law allows, a top US admiral said in Beijing today, a week after America infuriated China by sailing close to artificial islands it is building in the South China Sea.

When a U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer sailed near one of Beijing's artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea this week, it was operating in a maritime domain bristling with Chinese ships.

The chief of US naval operations met with his Chinese counterpart via a video call today, two days after a US destroyer sailed close to artificial islands built by Beijing in the South China Sea.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed concern today about a territorial dispute between the Chinese and US navies in the South China Sea, and suggested China go to international courts to resolve the row.

The Chinese and US navies are set to hold high-level talks over tensions in the South China Sea after a US warship challenged Beijing's territorial assertiveness in the disputed waterway this week.

Two Australian warships will hold exercises with the Chinese navy in the South China Sea next week, Australia's defence minister said on Thursday, just days after a US navy patrol near a man-made Chinese island in the disputed waters angered Beijing.

A US Navy guided-missile destroyer sailed close to China's man-made islands in the disputed South China Sea today, drawing an angry rebuke from Beijing, which said it warned and followed the American vessel.

A US naval destroyer sailed early Tuesday within 12 nautical miles of an artificial island built by China in the South China Sea, a US defense official said, in a direct challenge to China's territorial claims.

The U.S. Navy plans to send the USS Lassen destroyer within 12 nautical miles of artificial islands built by China in the South China Sea within 24 hours, the first of more regular challenges to China's territorial claims, a U.S. defence official said on Monday.

An Australian military surveillance plane has flown near disputed areas of the South China Sea, it emerged Wednesday, with the crew heard warning China's navy it was on a freedom of navigation mission.

Japan today backed the United States sailing warships close to disputed land in the South China Sea but said it had no plans to send its own maritime forces to support the operation.

Beijing has the "right and ability" to seize South China Sea islands occupied by other countries, a senior Chinese diplomat said today, ahead of regional summits expected to discuss the contested waters.

As soon as the guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen breached 12-nautical-mile territorial limits around one of China's man-made islands in the disputed South China Sea last week, a Chinese warship shadowing its movements began demanding answers.

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter visited an aircraft carrier in the South China Sea today, amid rising tensions over Chinese sovereignty claims in the disputed waterway.

A meeting of Asia-Pacific defence ministers has scrapped plans for a joint declaration after the Chinese delegation lobbied to block mention of Beijing's island-building activities in the disputed South China Sea, a US defence official said today.

The US military will continue to operate "wherever" international law allows, a top US admiral said in Beijing today, a week after America infuriated China by sailing close to artificial islands it is building in the South China Sea.

When a U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer sailed near one of Beijing's artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea this week, it was operating in a maritime domain bristling with Chinese ships.

The chief of US naval operations met with his Chinese counterpart via a video call today, two days after a US destroyer sailed close to artificial islands built by Beijing in the South China Sea.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed concern today about a territorial dispute between the Chinese and US navies in the South China Sea, and suggested China go to international courts to resolve the row.

The Chinese and US navies are set to hold high-level talks over tensions in the South China Sea after a US warship challenged Beijing's territorial assertiveness in the disputed waterway this week.

Two Australian warships will hold exercises with the Chinese navy in the South China Sea next week, Australia's defence minister said on Thursday, just days after a US navy patrol near a man-made Chinese island in the disputed waters angered Beijing.

A US Navy guided-missile destroyer sailed close to China's man-made islands in the disputed South China Sea today, drawing an angry rebuke from Beijing, which said it warned and followed the American vessel.

A US naval destroyer sailed early Tuesday within 12 nautical miles of an artificial island built by China in the South China Sea, a US defense official said, in a direct challenge to China's territorial claims.

The U.S. Navy plans to send the USS Lassen destroyer within 12 nautical miles of artificial islands built by China in the South China Sea within 24 hours, the first of more regular challenges to China's territorial claims, a U.S. defence official said on Monday.