Top Philippine officials fly to US carrier in disputed sea

US officials say three Philippine Cabinet members, including the defense chief, have toured a US aircraft carrier patrolling the disputed South China Sea on the invitation of the Navy.
US Embassy spokeswoman Molly Koscina says Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II visited the USS Carl Vinson Saturday along with three Philippine security officials.
The nuclear-powered carrier group has been patrolling the contested waters to ensure freedom of navigation and overflight in a region China claims virtually in its entirety.
The visit shows continuing top-level engagements between Philippine officials with the US military despite President Rodrigo Duterte's threat to scale back engagements with American forces while reaching out to China and Russia.