Naval commanders from the U.S. and China will meet for discussions amid growing tensions between both countries over China's claims in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, the U.S. Navy said on Thursday.

The U.S. Navy's top admiral, John Richardson, will travel to Beijing and the coastal city of Qingdao during a three-day visit starting Sunday to sit down with his Chinese counterpart Wu Shengli, according to Agence France-Presse.

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The meeting comes in the wake of China's rejection of the international tribunal ruling, which ruled against China and invalidated its claims in the maritime region. In response, Beijing has threatened to respond decisively to any "provocative action" in the waterway.

Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said on Wednesday that Beijing would declare the disputed territory an air defense identification zone should it feel threatened.

The United States has continued its military presence in the South China Sea and has also been carrying out "freedom of navigation" patrols in the territory over the past year, sending vessels within 12 nautical miles of the artificial islands built by China in the maritime region as a show of its disapproval of Beijing's territorial claims.

Beijing has laid claims on about 90 percent of the South China Sea, incensing its South Asian neighbors including Vietnam, Malaysia and Philippines, which are allies of the United States.

In spite of the mounting tensions between China and the U.S., sailors from both countries have maintained navy-to-navy relations in order to reduce the risk of any misinterpretations.

China has also been invited to join U.S. in this year's Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) naval exercises taking place in the waters between Hawaii and California.

TagsUS, china, naval commanders, South China Sea, South China Sea Dispute, South China Sea claims, RIMPAC