WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two U.S. Navy warships sailed near South China Sea islands claimed by China on Sunday, two U.S. officials told Reuters, in a move likely to anger Beijing as President Donald Trump seeks its continued cooperation on North Korea. Getty Images Tree Island is one of the main islands of the Paracel Islands group in the South China Sea. CONTESTED SEAPentagon officials have long complained that China has not been candid enough about its rapid military build-up and using South China Sea islands to gather intelligence in the region. China’s claims in the South China Sea, through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes each year, are contested by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. The United States has said it would like to see more international participation in freedom-of-navigation operations in the South China Sea.

Source: Huffington Post May 27, 2018 11:15 UTC