British Royal Navy's HMS Sutherland docks in Singapore during the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit. Photo from the HMS Sutherland Twitter Page
SCMP: France, Britain to sail warships in contested South China Sea to challenge Beijing
Defence ministers tell security forum they are contributing to rule-based order.
France and Britain will sail warships through the South China Sea to challenge Beijing’s expanding military presence in the disputed waters, their defence ministers said on Sunday.
The two countries, both permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, made the remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, echoing the latest US plan to ramp up its freedom of navigation operations to counter Beijing’s militarisation in the region and its stance that territorial disputes should be a matter between China and its Asian neighbours.
A French maritime task group, together with British helicopters and ships, will visit Singapore next week and then sail “into certain areas” of the South China Sea, French armed forces minister Florence Parly told the annual defence forum.
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Update: France, Britain Sending Ships to Challenge Beijing’s Claims in South China Sea (Sputnik)
WNU Editor: The Chinese are issuing a warning .... China warns West of S China Sea provocations (ecns.cn)
