Top US officials rejected a warning by China on Friday to stop sending American vessels into the South China Sea, the latest focus of military tensions after warships from the two navies nearly collided in the disputed waters.
The warning and its dismissal came at a top-level “diplomatic security dialogue” in Washington, jointly chaired by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary James Mattis, Chinese politburo member Yang Jiechi and Defence Minister Wei Fenghe.