A Russian-made Vietnamese fighter jet went missing today after disappearing off the radar during a training flight along the central part of the country&#39;s South China Sea coastline, a military official said. 
 
The Sukhoi SU-30 MK2 was flying 30-40 km off the coast of Nghe An province next to China&#39;s Hainan island when it went missing. Practice flights by the same jet model have since been suspended, said Senior Lieutenant General Vo Van Tuan, the deputy armed forces chief of staff. 
 
&quot;We haven&#39;t found the jet yet, we are still looking,&quot; he said. 
 
Asked about the possible reason for its disappearance, Tuan said: &quot;We have to find it to know it.&quot; 
 
The incident follows a series of mishaps in the past two years with Vietnam&#39;s ageing helicopters and at a time when it is recaliberating its defence strategy in four decades. 
 
The country is seeking to modernise its defence capability, ostensibly as a deterrent against the military rise of Beijing and its growing assertiveness in the South China Sea, over which the two communist neighbours have competing claims. 
 
The missing SU-30 MK2 fighter-bomber was one of the 30 in use by Vietnam. Fighter jets in Vietnam are expected to expand following last month&#39;s lifting of a US lethal arms embargo on a former enemy that Washington is eager to turn into its newest Asian ally. 
 
Vietnam has been in talks with Western and US arms manufacturers towards boosting its air force with jets, helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft, although experts say it is likely Russia will continue to be its main supplier. 
 
China claims most of the energy-rich South China Sea through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.

Sukhoi SU-30 MK2 was flying about 40 km off the coast of Nghe An province when it went missing

A Russian-made Vietnamese fighter jet went missing today after disappearing off the radar during a training flight along the central part of the country's South China Sea coastline, a military official said. The Sukhoi SU-30 MK2 was flying 30-40 km off the coast of Nghe An province next to China's Hainan island when it went missing. Practice flights by the same jet model have since been suspended, said Senior Lieutenant General Vo Van Tuan, the deputy armed forces chief of staff. "We haven't found the jet yet, we are still looking," he said. Asked about the possible reason for its disappearance, Tuan said: "We have to find it to know it." The incident follows a series of mishaps in the past two years with Vietnam's ageing helicopters and at a time when it is recaliberating its defence strategy in four decades. The country is seeking to modernise its defence capability, ostensibly as a deterrent against the military rise of Beijing and its growing assertiveness in the South China Sea, over which the two communist neighbours have competing claims. The missing SU-30 MK2 fighter-bomber was one of the 30 in use by Vietnam. Fighter jets in Vietnam are expected to expand following last month's lifting of a US lethal arms embargo on a former enemy that Washington is eager to turn into its newest Asian ally. Vietnam has been in talks with Western and US arms manufacturers towards boosting its air force with jets, helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft, although experts say it is likely Russia will continue to be its main supplier. China claims most of the energy-rich South China Sea through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.

Vietnamese fighter jet goes missing along South China Sea coast

A Russian-made Vietnamese fighter jet went missing today after disappearing off the radar during a training flight along the central part of the country&#39;s South China Sea coastline, a military official said. 
 
The Sukhoi SU-30 MK2 was flying 30-40 km off the coast of Nghe An province next to China&#39;s Hainan island when it went missing. Practice flights by the same jet model have since been suspended, said Senior Lieutenant General Vo Van Tuan, the deputy armed forces chief of staff. 
 
&quot;We haven&#39;t found the jet yet. We are still looking,&quot; he said. 
 
Asked about the possible reason for its disappearance, Tuan said: &quot;We have to find it to know it.&quot; 
 
The incident follows a series of mishaps in the past two years with Vietnam&#39;s ageing helicopters and at a time when it is recaliberating its defence strategy in four decades. 
 
The country is seeking to modernise its defence capability, ostensibly as a deterrent against the military rise of Beijing and its growing assertiveness in the South China Sea, over which the two communist neighbours have competing claims. 
 
The missing SU-30 MK2 fighter-bomber was one of the 30 in use by Vietnam. Fighter jets in Vietnam are expected to expand following last month&#39;s lifting of a US lethal arms embargo on a former enemy that Washington is eager to turn into its newest Asian ally. 
 
Vietnam has been in talks with Western and US arms manufacturers towards boosting its air force with jets, helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft, although experts say it is likely Russia will continue to be its main supplier. 
 
China claims most of the energy-rich South China Sea through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.

A Russian-made Vietnamese fighter jet went missing today after disappearing off the radar during a training flight along the central part of the country's South China Sea coastline, a military official said. The Sukhoi SU-30 MK2 was flying 30-40 km off the coast of Nghe An province next to China's Hainan island when it went missing. Practice flights by the same jet model have since been suspended, said Senior Lieutenant General Vo Van Tuan, the deputy armed forces chief of staff. "We haven't found the jet yet. We are still looking," he said. Asked about the possible reason for its disappearance, Tuan said: "We have to find it to know it." The incident follows a series of mishaps in the past two years with Vietnam's ageing helicopters and at a time when it is recaliberating its defence strategy in four decades. The country is seeking to modernise its defence capability, ostensibly as a deterrent against the military rise of Beijing and its growing assertiveness in the South China Sea, over which the two communist neighbours have competing claims. The missing SU-30 MK2 fighter-bomber was one of the 30 in use by Vietnam. Fighter jets in Vietnam are expected to expand following last month's lifting of a US lethal arms embargo on a former enemy that Washington is eager to turn into its newest Asian ally. Vietnam has been in talks with Western and US arms manufacturers towards boosting its air force with jets, helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft, although experts say it is likely Russia will continue to be its main supplier. China claims most of the energy-rich South China Sea through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.

Vietnam fighter jet goes missing along South China Sea coast

China told the United States today&nbsp;that it should play a constructive role in safeguarding peace in the disputed South China Sea, as US&nbsp;secretary of state John Kerry called for talks and a peaceful resolution.

China claims most of the South China Sea&nbsp;through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims, as well as close military ties with the United States.

China has been angered by what it views as provocative US&nbsp;military patrols close to islands China controls in the South China Sea. The United States says the patrols are to protect freedom of navigation.

Speaking at the end of high-level Sino-US&nbsp;talks in Beijing, State Councillor Yang Jiechi, China&#39;s top diplomat who outranks the foreign minister, said China had the right to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.

&quot;China respects and protects the right that all countries enjoy under international law to freedom of navigation and overflight,&quot; Yang said.

Disputes should be resolved by the parties involved through consultation, he said.

&quot;China hopes the US&nbsp;will scrupulously abide by its promise to not take sides in relevant territorial disputes and play a constructive role in safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea,&quot; Yang said.

US&nbsp;defence secretary Ashton Carter said on Saturday the US&nbsp;approach to the Asia-Pacific remained &quot;one of commitment, strength and inclusion&quot;. But he also warned China against provocative behaviour in the South China Sea.

Kerry said the United States did not take a position on the sovereignty of any land features in the South China Sea but thought all claimants should exercise restraint.

&quot;We reiterated America&#39;s fundamental support for negotiations and a peaceful resolution based on the rule of law as well as our concern about any unilateral steps by any party ... to alter the status quo,&quot; Kerry said.

Kerry added that he and Yang reaffirmed their governments&#39; commitment to upholding the freedom of navigation and overflight.

The Philippines is hoping for a favourable ruling from a tribunal in The Hague this month after it went to court in 2013 seeking clarification on its economic entitlements in the South China Sea.

China has said it will not respect the court&#39;s decision and there are fears in Manila that China may retaliate by declaring an air defence identification zone in the disputed waters or by reclaiming disputed Scarborough Shoal.

Gregory Poling, director of Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the US&nbsp;Center for Strategic and International Studies, said China would not risk an escalation if it knew the United States would try to deter its actions on Scarborough Shoal.

&quot;What we&#39;ve seen over and over in the last years, China is unwilling to risk activities that threaten deadly force,&quot; said Poling.

&quot;It is possible to deter them. We&#39;ll have to keep deterring them over and over. That is the test for next 10 to 15 years in this game of whack-a-mole until the Chinese decide that this is not the way to do international relations.&quot;

Angered by US military patrols in China-controlled island of the South China Sea, China says it has the right to safeguard its territorial sovereignity

China told the United States today that it should play a constructive role in safeguarding peace in the disputed South China Sea, as US secretary of state John Kerry called for talks and a peaceful resolution. China claims most of the South China Sea through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims, as well as close military ties with the United States. China has been angered by what it views as provocative US military patrols close to islands China controls in the South China Sea. The United States says the patrols are to protect freedom of navigation. Speaking at the end of high-level Sino-US talks in Beijing, State Councillor Yang Jiechi, China's top diplomat who outranks the foreign minister, said China had the right to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights. "China respects and protects the right that all countries enjoy under international law to freedom of navigation and overflight," Yang said. Disputes should be resolved by the parties involved through consultation, he said. "China hopes the US will scrupulously abide by its promise to not take sides in relevant territorial disputes and play a constructive role in safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea," Yang said. US defence secretary Ashton Carter said on Saturday the US approach to the Asia-Pacific remained "one of commitment, strength and inclusion". But he also warned China against provocative behaviour in the South China Sea. Kerry said the United States did not take a position on the sovereignty of any land features in the South China Sea but thought all claimants should exercise restraint. "We reiterated America's fundamental support for negotiations and a peaceful resolution based on the rule of law as well as our concern about any unilateral steps by any party ... to alter the status quo," Kerry said. Kerry added that he and Yang reaffirmed their governments' commitment to upholding the freedom of navigation and overflight. The Philippines is hoping for a favourable ruling from a tribunal in The Hague this month after it went to court in 2013 seeking clarification on its economic entitlements in the South China Sea. China has said it will not respect the court's decision and there are fears in Manila that China may retaliate by declaring an air defence identification zone in the disputed waters or by reclaiming disputed Scarborough Shoal. Gregory Poling, director of Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the US Center for Strategic and International Studies, said China would not risk an escalation if it knew the United States would try to deter its actions on Scarborough Shoal. "What we've seen over and over in the last years, China is unwilling to risk activities that threaten deadly force," said Poling. "It is possible to deter them. We'll have to keep deterring them over and over. That is the test for next 10 to 15 years in this game of whack-a-mole until the Chinese decide that this is not the way to do international relations."

China tells US to play constructive South China Sea role

The United States should not decide its policy on the South China Sea based on what its allies think&nbsp;and should stick to its promises not to take sides in the dispute, a senior Chinese minister said today&nbsp;ahead of Sino-US&nbsp;security talks.

China has been angered by what it views as provocative U.S. military patrols close to islands China controls in the South China Sea. The United States says the patrols are to protect freedom of navigation.

China claims most of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims, as well as close military ties with Washington.

Speaking at a forum ahead of next week&#39;s high-level meetings with US&nbsp;officials in Beijing, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang said his country had every right to protect its sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea.

&quot;In fact the United States is not a claimant in the South China Sea dispute, and it takes no position on territorial disputes,&quot; Zheng said.

&quot;So we hope the US&nbsp;can stick to its promises and not choose sides, but can set its position based on the rights and wrongs of the case rather than whether somebody is an ally,&quot; he added.

&quot;I think if they can do this, and if they can stop provocative acts targeted at China&#39;s sovereignty and security interests, then the US&nbsp;can play a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea and promote a lowering of the temperature on this issue.&quot;

China&#39;s top diplomat, state councillor Yang Jiechi, will take this up with US&nbsp;secretary of state John Kerry at their talks, Zheng added.

The South China Sea is also expected to loom large at Asia&#39;s biggest security summit starting in Singapore on Friday, attended by a senior Chinese admiral.

Last month, Beijing demanded an end to US&nbsp;surveillance near China after two Chinese fighter jets carried out what the Pentagon said was an &quot;unsafe&quot; intercept of a US&nbsp;military reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea.

Denouncing people in the United States who viewed China as a threat, which he believed was not a mainstream US&nbsp;view, Zheng said the two countries had proved they can cooperate well on joint issues of global concern, like North Korea and Syria.

&quot;China&#39;s development won&#39;t threaten any country,&quot; Zheng said. &quot;I hope certain people in the United States set themselves straight and spurn Cold War thinking.&quot; 
 
 
&nbsp;

A senior Chinese minister cautions Washington to not take sides in territorial disputes in the region

The United States should not decide its policy on the South China Sea based on what its allies think and should stick to its promises not to take sides in the dispute, a senior Chinese minister said today ahead of Sino-US security talks. China has been angered by what it views as provocative U.S. military patrols close to islands China controls in the South China Sea. The United States says the patrols are to protect freedom of navigation. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims, as well as close military ties with Washington. Speaking at a forum ahead of next week's high-level meetings with US officials in Beijing, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang said his country had every right to protect its sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea. "In fact the United States is not a claimant in the South China Sea dispute, and it takes no position on territorial disputes," Zheng said. "So we hope the US can stick to its promises and not choose sides, but can set its position based on the rights and wrongs of the case rather than whether somebody is an ally," he added. "I think if they can do this, and if they can stop provocative acts targeted at China's sovereignty and security interests, then the US can play a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea and promote a lowering of the temperature on this issue." China's top diplomat, state councillor Yang Jiechi, will take this up with US secretary of state John Kerry at their talks, Zheng added. The South China Sea is also expected to loom large at Asia's biggest security summit starting in Singapore on Friday, attended by a senior Chinese admiral. Last month, Beijing demanded an end to US surveillance near China after two Chinese fighter jets carried out what the Pentagon said was an "unsafe" intercept of a US military reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea. Denouncing people in the United States who viewed China as a threat, which he believed was not a mainstream US view, Zheng said the two countries had proved they can cooperate well on joint issues of global concern, like North Korea and Syria. "China's development won't threaten any country," Zheng said. "I hope certain people in the United States set themselves straight and spurn Cold War thinking."

China to US: Do not let your allies decide South China Sea policy

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Vietnamese fighter jet goes missing along South China Sea coast

Vietnam fighter jet goes missing along South China Sea coast

China tells US to play constructive South China Sea role

China to US: Do not let your allies decide South China Sea policy