Chinese General Wu Yanan attended Indo-Pacific defence meeting in Hawaii and had ‘candid exchange of views’ with US Admiral Samuel Paparo.

As China pushes to dominate the South China Sea, it is increasingly willing to use force to drive out the Philippines. In recent months, China’s tactics have raised fears of a superpower showdown in the strategic waterway.

For the first time ever, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy sailed all of its aircraft carriers at the same time – offering a glimpse at how the PLAN might deploy its flattops during, say, an attack on Taiwan.