US Navy secretary, Chinese minister discuss security at seas

Beijing:  China says its defence minister and the US Navy secretary have discussed security at sea and steps to bolster the US military presence in the Asia-Pacific region. [caption id=“attachment_537042” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Pic used for representational purposes only. Getty Images.[/caption] The visit by Navy Secretary Ray Mabus comes days after China began landing planes on its sole aircraft carrier, displaying rapid progress toward deploying the ultimate symbol of naval power. The Defence Ministry said Mabus met with Defence Minister Liang Guanglie on Tuesday. China has criticized the US’s moves in the Pacific as part of a campaign to encircle and contain China, while its moves to assert its claims in the South China Sea and off its east coast have unnerved its neighbors. AP