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China's new Foreign Minister Qin Gang warned that "conflict and confrontation" with the United States is inevitable if Washington does not change course, delivering a stern and wide-ranging rebuke of US policies for his first press conference in the new role

United States is demonstrating its military might in China's backyard - the South China Sea. Seahawk helicopters and Hornet jets have rode on off the flight deck off the US aircraft carrier.

China's new foreign minister, Qin Gang, has warned that the US and China are heading towards inevitable conflict if Washington does not change its approach. In his first media appearance as foreign minister, Qin held a press conference to outline his foreign political agenda for the coming years, presenting China and its relationship with Russia as a beacon of strength and stability, and the US and its allies as a source of tension and conflict. 'The United States' perception of China is seriously distorted' he said, suggesting 'this leads to a complete deviation of healthy policy towards China'.