US will sail, fly and operate wherever international law allows: Ash Carter

BOSTON: In a clear rebuff to China, US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Tuesday that the United States military would sail and fly wherever international law allowed, including the South China Sea.

"Make no mistake, the United States will fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows, as we do around the world, and the South China Sea will not be an exception," Carter told a joint news conference after ministerial talks with US ally Australia in Boston.

"We will do that in the time and places of our choosing," Carter added, when asked about reports that the United States had already decided to conduct freedom-of-navigation operations inside 12 nautical mile limits that China claims around islands built on reefs in the Spratly archipelago.

China claims most of the South China Sea and last week warned it would not stand for any violations of its territorial waters in the name of freedom of navigation.

Some analysts in Washington believe the decision has been taken and the patrols could take place later this week or next. They are likely to provoke protests from China.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told the news conference she welcomed a statement by Chinese President Xi Jinping last month that China did not intend to militarize the artificial islands and said she hoped Beijing would stick to it.