China will view the sending of British and the US warships into disputed waters it claims its own as “hostile action” with serious consequences, senior officials from the country have warned and urged that London not get sucked into carrying out “dirty jobs” for Washington.
The message that China will not tolerate “violation of sovereignty” came as the American defence secretary, Mark Esper, called for the help of allies, including the UK, in standing up to what he claimed was Beijing’s “attempts to disrupt the international order” and seek “domination”.
It also comes as plans are being discussed to deploy American F-35 stealth fighters aboard the royal navy aircraft carrier, the HMS Queen Elizabeth – the first of a series of joint military initiatives between the two countries.
Reacting to a suggestion that the UK might send its aircraft carrier close to the contested Spratly Islands, with US jets onboard, China’s Ambassador to the UK said Britain “should not do this dirty job for somebody else”.
