United States navy chief Admiral John Richardson on Thursday said China should abide by a code of conduct for unplanned encounters at sea, as this would reduce chances of an incident or potential escalation of tensions if the two navies met, The Straits Times reports. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered the Southern Theater Command to prepare for war during an inspection last Thursday, according to South China Morning Post. The command oversees the South China Sea, where tensions have been on the rise. Amid a simmering trade war, the US and Chinese militaries have exchanged tit-for-tat measures with each other in recent days in and above the South China Sea, Business Insider reports.