China has had longstanding tensions with the US over similar maritime military deployments in proximity to its own military bases in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.
Chinese Defence Attaché to the UK Su Guanghui has warned London that its decision to send the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier to the South China Sea would be seen as “hostile action” in Beijing. He added that such moves violate the “sovereignty and territorial integrity” of China.
The British Ministry of Defence announced the carrier’s deployment to the region by 2021 as part of the country’s participation in freedom of navigation operations, also being conducted by the US and Australia. However, China’s ambassador to the UK Liu Xiaoming dismissed the claims that such operations promote freedom of movement in shipping lanes.Read More…
