CHINA has complained over the sighting of a US warship in what it said were Chinese waters as talks aimed at ending a bruising tariff battle between the world’s two largest economies began.

The two sides have provided scant information about the discussions.

Both sides have expressed optimism over the potential for progress in settling their tariff fight over Beijing’s technology ambitions.

Yet neither has indicated its stance has changed since a December agreement by presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to postpone further increases.

Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Chinese military aircraft and naval vessels were dispatched to identify the US vessel and warn it to leave the area near disputed islands in the South China Sea.

“We have made stern complaints with the US,” Lu said.

Trump imposed tariff increases of up to 25% on 250 billion dollars of Chinese imports.

Cooling economic growth in both countries is raising pressure to reach a settlement.

A MAN identified as a former boxing pro and suspected of viciously attacking riot police officers during the latest yellow vests protests in France has turned himself in and been placed in custody.

The man, identified by French media as Christophe Dettinger, was allegedly filmed beating up police officers on Saturday in Paris.

The videos went viral online, creating an outpouring of comments.

Interior minister Christophe Castaner said on Twitter the suspect has turned himself in to investigators “and will have to answer for his actions in court”.

According to media reports, the 37-year-old suspect is a former French light heavyweight champion.and was known as “the Gypsy of Massy”, after a town in the Paris suburbs.

Castaner estimated that about 50,000 people participated in protests around France on Saturday.

Police counted some 3,500 protesters in Paris.

ACTOR Kevin Spacey is due to appear in a US courtroom to answer allegations that he groped a young man in a bar on the small Massachusetts island of Nantucket in 2016.

The Oscar-winning actor has said he will plead not guilty to a charge of indecent assault and battery.

The court appearance by Spacey comes more than a year after former Boston TV anchor Heather Unruh accused the ex-House of Cards star of sexually assaulting her son, then 18, in a bar.where the teen worked.

If convicted, Spacey faces up to five years in prison.