John Kerry, US secretary of state, warned China against declaring a second air defence zone three months after Beijing infuriated its neighbours by unilaterally declaring one over disputed islands in the East China Sea.

Mr Kerry also said he sought agreement from Chinese officials to pursue their claims in the South China Sea in a peaceful manner, submit them for adjudication, and negotiate a code of conduct with other regional governments that would prevent maritime confrontations from getting out of control.

“It is important to resolve these disputes in a peaceful and non-confrontational way that honours the law of the sea and the rule of law in general,” he said during a visit to Beijing on Friday, amid heightened tensions between China and its neighbours over a range of maritime disputes.