U.S., Australia rebuff China over South China Sea

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter addresses a news conference during a NATO defence ministers meeting at the Alliance headquarters in Brussels, Belgium October 8, 2015. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

BOSTON (Reuters) - In a rebuff to China, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Tuesday that the United States military would sail and fly wherever international law allowed, including the disputed South China Sea.

Carter spoke after a two-day meeting between U.S. and Australian foreign and defence ministers at which the long-time allies agreed to expand defence cooperation and expressed "strong concerns" over Beijing's building on disputed islands.