China 'coordinating with US' in search for sailor

China said on Thursday that it was coordinating with the US navy in the search for a missing US sailor in the South China Sea.

The US 7th Fleet said on Tuesday that US and Japanese ships were looking for an unnamed sailor from the USS Stethem destroyer who had gone missing during a routine operation in an unspecified section of the South China Sea.

It said multiple searches were conducted inside the ship, but to no avail.

China's Defence Ministry said in a statement that its Liuzhou guided-missile frigate was in nearby waters conducting war-readiness duties, and "on the basis of humanitarian spirit, and according to the code for unplanned encounters at sea, carried out operational coordination with the US side".