US navy begins South China Sea patrols

US aircraft carrier the USS Carl Vinson has started what it calls “routine operations” in the South China Sea, with a fleet of supporting warships.
The deployment comes days after China’s foreign ministry warned Washington against challenging Beijing’s sovereignty in the region.
China claims several contested shoals, islets and reefs in the area.
It has been constructing artificial islands with airstrips in the South China Sea for a number of years. - See more at: http://keepuplive.com/fetchnews.php?passkey=US%20navy%20begins%20South%20China%20Sea%20patrols#sthash.VuIApGUF.dpuf