The “freedom-of-navigation” operation by the USS William P Lawrence, traveling within 12 nautical miles of Chinese-occupied Fiery Cross Reef, was to “challenge excessive maritime claims of some claimants in the South China Sea”, department spokesman Bill Urban said.
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“This action by the U.S. side threatened China’s sovereignty and security interests, endangered the staff and facilities on the reef, and damaged regional peace and stability”.
Lawrence passed by the Spratly Island reef – now almost complete as an artificial island thanks to China’s illegal construction in the region – on Tuesday, triggering military action by China in the region and a stern rebuke from the Foreign Ministry in Beijing.
“Beijing hopes the Philippines will meet China halfway, taking concrete measures to properly deal with the disputes so as to put the ties between the two countries back on the track of sound development”, said Lu. The reef, called Yongshu in China, is also claimed by Vietnam and the Philippines.
The Philippines has signed a new defence pact with the United States and filed a legal challenge with a United Nations tribunal asking it to rule the Chinese claims to most of the sea invalid.
The Chinese have built a 10,000-foot runway on the island that could easily accommodate military aircraft.
The US reportedly cancelled a scheduled freedom of navigation operation last month, instead opting for an air patrol over the Scarborough Shoal in an attempt to demonstrate resolve over possible intensifying large-scale construction activity by China in that area.
The ruling on the United Nations arbitration brought forward by the Philippines, a long-time USA ally, is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
Yang Yujun, a spokesperson for the Defense Ministry, said via a press release that the illegal entry of the USA warship into Chinese waters was “severe provocation”.
“The action by the US threatens China’s sovereignty and security, endangers the safety of people and facilities on the reef, and harms regional peace and stability”, Lu said. A troupe of military entertainers also descended on Fiery Cross and performed patriotic songs to military personnel stationed on the reef.
A Taiwanese group has intervened in the Philippines’ worldwide court case against China’s claims in the South China Sea, pressing Taipei’s position that Taiwan is entitled to a swath of the disputed waterway as an economic zone.
China’s Defense Ministry said it scrambled two fighter jets and sent three warships to shadow the US destroyer.
China has been aggressively pursuing its claims in the South China Sea in recent years, including within what the Philippines claims as its exclusive economic zone, or EEZ.
China, which claims about 2 million square km of the maritime territory, has always maintained that “the situation in the South China Sea is stable”.
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China rejects accusations that it is responsible for raising tensions, saying actions by the U.S. Navy and the encouragement Washington offers to other claimants such as Vietnam and the Philippines are increasing the chances of conflict.
