US, Chinese warships nearly collide in South China Sea

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A Chinese naval vessel came dangerously close to a US warship during a tense incident in the South China Sea last week, US military officials said on Friday.

The USS Cowpens, a guided missile cruiser, was forced to manoeuvre to avoid a collision with the Chinese ship that had crossed directly in front of it and halted, according to naval officers and defence officials.

China's amphibious dock ship came less than 500 yards (meters) from the American warship, a defence official said.

The official said the Cowpens had been "in the vicinity" of China's new aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, when the incident occurred.

The stand-off ended peacefully but underscored tensions between the United States and China, which escalated after Beijing last month declared an expanded "air defence identification zone" in the East China Sea.

Washington has refused to recognize the air zone.