Australia and other countries should follow the U.S. lead and conduct "freedom-of-navigation" naval operations within 12 nautical miles of contested islands in the South China Sea, a senior U.S. naval officer was reported as saying on Monday. Vice Admiral Joseph Aucoin, the commander of the U.S. Navy's Seventh Fleet, is in Australia for high-level talks with defense leaders and has discussed growing concerns over Beijing's military expansion in the disputed region, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported. Read more
