Beijing rejects Vietnam protest over South China Sea landing

Beijing

BEIJING has rejected a protest from Vietnam after a Chinese plane landed on a contested reef in the South China Sea, saying that the operation took place within Chinese territory.

A Chinese "test flight" landed on Fiery Cross reef, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in an online statement late on Saturday. Vietnam also claims the reef.

China has asserted its claim to almost all of the South China Sea by rapidly building artificial islands including airstrips said to be capable of hosting military jets. It…