China urges parties to increase regional trust and promote peace

The Pentagon chief's call for an end to all construction work on South China Sea islands did not receive a clear endorsement from Hanoi on Monday despite closer US-Vietnam military cooperation and simmering maritime tensions in the region.

US Defense Secretary Ash Carter discussed his proposal in talks with his Vietnamese counterpart, General Phung Quang Thanh, making a direct plea after earlier calling on all countries involved to immediately halt construction work on the islands.