From the foreign press

Chinese President Hu Jintao urged China's military to "staunchly defend" national sovereignty days after the navy's brief confrontation with a United States vessel.

Hu's comments to People's Liberation Army (PLA) officers, quoted in the People's Daily yesterday, did not mention the navy's run-in on Sunday with a US survey ship off the island province of Hainan.

There have been no signs Beijing wants to further the dispute, in which China says the US ship violated its sovereignty by monitoring waters in its exclusive economic zone. The White House has said its ship, the USNS Impeccable, was in international waters.