Asia-Pacific navies sign communication agreement

Naval officials from the U.S. and two dozen Asia-Pacific nations adopted an agreement Tuesday aimed at improving communication at sea to reduce the possibility of conflict amid rising friction between an increasingly assertive China and its neighbors.

The Code For Unplanned Encounters at Sea provides simple standardized phrases such as "alpha" meaning divers are in surrounding waters that navies can use when they come across ships from other countries.

It's hoped the code will lessen the possibility of collisions or misunderstandings that could lead to conflict in the heavily trafficked sea lanes surrounding China, Japan and Southeast Asia.

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