LONDON- Britain's defence minister said on Wednesday that China was seeking to build the world's biggest surface and subsurface maritime fleet.

"China is growing the largest maritime surface and subsurface fleet in the world," Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told the Atlantic Future Forum. "Our competitors continue to challenge us in the grey zone between war and peace."

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Kate Holton) ((guy.faulconbridge@thomsonreuters.com; 07825218698;))