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British warships will continue to travel with freedom in the South China sea despite a reported diplomatic dispute with Beijing, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has insisted.

Mr Williamson has been criticised for risking trade talks with China by announcing the deployment of an aircraft carrier to the Pacific region.

The area includes the Spratly Islands, where China is engaged in an ongoing territorial dispute with Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Mr Williamson's announcement of the first operational mission of the HMS Queen Elizabeth is reported to have prompted Chinese vice premier Hu Chunhua to cancel trade talks with Chancellor Philip Hammond.

However, the defence secretary defended his actions in the House of Commons on Monday.

During defence questions, Mr Williamson was asked by Conservative MP Bill Grant if the Royal Navy will "continue with freedom of navigation operations in the South China sea?".

Mr Williamson replied: "Like so many nations, such as the United States, Australia, France, New Zealand and Canada, we believe in the rule of law and the international rules-based system.

"We will always be a nation that does not just talk, but one that acts to uphold the rule of law that has benefited so many nations right around the globe, so yes."

Mr Williamson was criticised by Lord Dannatt, the former head of the British Army, for his "premature" boasting of HMS Queen Elizabeth's first mission.

He told Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday show: "I think we all know he's pretty ambitious as well and wants to use defence as a platform to develop his own career."

Former Conservative chancellor George Osborne accused Mr Williamson of "engaging of gunboat diplomacy of a quite old-fashioned kind".

A Treasury spokeswoman said no trip by the chancellor to China "was ever announced or confirmed".