BEIJING/SHANGHAI, Nov 26 (Reuters) - China and the United States exchanged accusations at the weekend over the disputed South China Sea, after China's military said it had driven away a U.S. warship that the U.S. Navy said was on a routine freedom of navigation operation. The U.S. Navy said on Sunday that the Hopper had "asserted navigational rights in the South China Sea near the Paracel Islands, consistent with international law". China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. This weekend's incident, China said, "proves that the United States is an out-and-out 'security risk creator' in the South China Sea". "Unlawful and sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea pose a serious threat to the freedom of the seas."

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Persons: Hopper, China's, Kristina Weidemann, Casey, Laurie Chen, Ben Blanchard, Mark Potter, Edmund Klamann Organizations: United, U.S . Navy, People's Liberation Army Southern Theatre Command, U.S, Australia, Philippine, U.S . 7th Fleet, U.S . State Department, Casey Hall, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, SHANGHAI, China, United States, U.S, South China, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Beijing, Manila, South, Shanghai, Taipei