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Liu Zhen

The navy chiefs of China and the United States held talks to discuss the South China Sea dispute on Thursday night following a US warship's sail-by near Beijing's artificial islands in the Spratlys.
The video call between Chinese naval commander Admiral Wu Shengli and US naval operations head Admiral John Richardson lasted about an hour, according to US Navy spokesman Tim Hawkins.
"It was professional and productive," Hawkins said, declining to give further details.
Chinese defence ministry spokesman Yang Yujun earlier said Wu would convey to Richardson Beijing's "solemn position" on the US challenge.
READ MORE: China's neighbours wary of taking sides in Sino-US South China Sea dispute
The teleconference was arranged in the light of recent events, an unnamed US official was quoted as saying by the Navy Times, a publication closely affiliated to the US Navy.
Beijing responded furiously after the USS Lassen sailed within 12 nautical miles of Mischief and Subi reefs in the Spratly archipelago on Tuesday, with deputy foreign minister Zhang Yesui summoning Max Baucus, the US ambassador to China.
The incident came ahead of next week's meeting in Kuala Lumpur among defence ministers from Southeast Asia, China and the US, as well as President Xi Jinping's visit to Vietnam, which has competing claims in the South China Sea.

"We advise the Americans not to go any further in the wrong way. But if they insist, we will take all necessary measures. We have plenty of options," Yang said earlier on Thursday. He did not exclude the use of force to defend national security.
Australia is also studying the possibility of sailing through the disputed waters, according to The Wall Street Journal. It had made plans for potential naval operations, the journal reported.
Chinese analysts say that while Beijing is under domestic pressure to rebuke Washington over the move, it is well aware that a drastic response would be unwise as China preferred to minimise talk of its construction activities in the disputed waters.
"The US side is trying to put the Chinese government under enormous pressure by manipulating Chinese public opinion with the idea of a US warship sailing within 12 nautical miles of the islands," said Xue Guifang, an international law expert at Shanghai Jiaotong University.
"The more attention paid to this issue, the more China is at a disadvantage."
READ MORE: China, US won’t cut off contact over USS Lassen’s sail-by in the South China Sea, say experts
Xue said reacting to the US challenge by sending China's own warships would not be wise.
"The best reaction would be to ignore those foreign patrols," she said.
In an indication that the People's Liberation Army was containing its response to the confrontation, a commentary in the official China National Defence News advised Beijing to maintain its composure while preparing to defend itself through its military.
The best reaction would be to ignore those foreign patrols
Xue Guifang, an international law expert 
The newspaper cited Sun Tzu's The  Art of War, pointing out that the use of force in settling conflicts was not the best choice.
"The highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy's conspiracies," it said. "China has still to ensure that Sino-US ties remain relatively stable and that both sides are capable of managing their respective differences."
Several port visits were already scheduled between the two sides' naval vessels, including next week's expected arrival in Mayport of a three-ship Chinese naval squadron on a world tour, the Navy Times reported.
Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse


China, US navy chiefs hold hour-long talks on South China Sea in wake of Spratly sail-by  

Admirals John Richardson (left) and Wu Shengli talked last night. Photos: AFP, Reuters

Admirals John Richardson and Wu Shengli talked last night.

The USS Lassen sailed within 12 nautical miles of Mischief Reef. Photo: Reuters

Diplomacy, not sending in warships, is the way to resolve sea disputes between China and the US

The destroyer USS Lassen prompted fury when it sailed through waters in the South China Sea that Beijing claims as its own territory. Photo: EPA

China's neighbours wary of taking sides in Sino-US South China Sea dispute

China sent its destroyer Taizhou to shadow the US Navy's warship. Photo: RIA Novost/ChinaFotoPress

A US Navy vessel patrolled near Subi Reef in the South China Sea. Photo: Reuters

Why did the US choose the Subi and Mischief reefs for its South China Sea patrol?

The destroyer USS Lassen patrolled inside the 12-nautical-mile (22km) limit around two Chinese-built reefs in the South China Sea on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

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Chinese analysts say Beijing under pressure to rebuke Washington but knows drastic response would be unwise


China, US navy chiefs hold hour-long talks on South China Sea in wake of Spratly sail-by

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Chinese analysts say Beijing under pressure to rebuke Washington but knows drastic response would be unwise

Chinese analysts say Beijing under pressure to rebuke Washington but knows drastic response would be unwise