China claims nearly the whole of the South China Sea, resulting in overlapping claims with several other Asian nations like Vietnam and the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei.
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In disregard to China’s call not to disturb peace in the South China Sea, the United States has carried out another “freedom of navigation” mission there, with a U.S. Navy destroyer sailing within 12 nautical miles off Zhongjian Dao, part of China-owned Xisha Islands.
“The American warship has violated relevant Chinese laws by entering Chinese territorial waters without prior permission, and the Chinese side has taken relevant measures including monitoring and admonishments”, it said in a statement.
“The idea that the USA may send military aircraft and ships to assert freedom of navigation around Chinese claimed islands in the South China Sea is seriously bad”.
“Obviously, the provocation was aimed at plunging the South China Sea into chaos again and it is expected to help the U.S. to profit from the escalating tensions”.
The US action was “highly risky and irresponsible”, Beijing’s foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a regular press briefing, adding it “gravely harmed the peace and stability of the relevant region” in the pursuit of “American naval hegemony”.
The Chinese military will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and security regardless of provocative actions by the U.S., Yang said.
The Pentagon confirmed it sent a ship into waters claimed by China, calling it a “freedom of navigation” operation meant to challenge attempts by that country and others to restrict navigation in the area.
“No claimants were notified prior to the transit, which is consistent with our normal process and worldwide law”, he said.
The U.S. conducted a similar operation in October, with China also saying it had warned the USS Lassen it had come too close.
“It is a deliberate provocation”.
“The US warship violated Chinese law and entered China’s territorial sea without authorisation. There is no logic that sending a warship to challenge China’s sovereignty and security will help to the situation, unless, peace and stability in the South China Sea is not the USA objective”, it said.
Xu Guangyu, a retired major general and senior researcher at the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, said Beijing had prepared different responses to Washington, with the possibility of speeding up construction in the South China Sea and conducting military test flights at the new airports there.
Officials said that the country will fly, sail, and operate wherever global law allows and that includes the South China Sea.
China on Monday accused the United States of being the biggest incentive for militarization of the South China Sea, and urged it to stop creating tension in the name of “navigational freedom”. Saturday’s incursion saw Chinese troops on the islands, as well as Chinese Naval vessels and warplanes, take immediate action to identify and verify the USA vessel before demanding it leave.
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Two other nurses serving on the island, Pan Man-chi and Lin Fang-tzu, have also said they plan to register their residence to the Spratlys Islands, referred to as the Nansha Islands by the Chinese, when they return to Taiwan on leave.
