Edinburgh: The Australian navy has been invited to accompany the pride of Britain’s fleet, the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier, when it comes to the Pacific - a joint show of strength that will be interpreted as a reply to growing Chinese influence and activity in the region.

The HMS Queen Elizabeth deployment may include a “freedom of navigation” exercise in the South China Sea, which China has claimed as its strategic backyard.

The HMS Queen Elizabeth, the British navy's newest and most expensive aircraft carrier, will be accompanied by Australian navy ships through the South China Sea. Credit:PA

The massive new ship’s trip to the Pacific – expected in several years’ time once it has finished trials and been fully fitted out – was previously flagged by former British foreign secretary Boris Johnson, but new details were revealed after a meeting of the two countries’ foreign and defence ministers in Edinburgh on Friday.

“We are very much hoping and going to work together on deploying HMS Queen Elizabeth to the Pacific and hopefully sailing side by side with Australian vessels,” British Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said.