USS Stethem
The Chinese foreign Ministry expressed protest in connection with the entry of the US destroyer USS Stethem into the waters of disputed Islands, Xisha (Paracel Islands) in the South China sea, which Beijing claims as its. It is reported RIA Novosti citing a statement by Chinese foreign Ministry.
The Ministry of foreign Affairs of China said that the actions of the US destroyer is a serious political and military provocation. It is also reported that warships and fighter jets of China issued a warning to the destroyer, sending him warships and fighter jets.
The foreign Ministry stressed that the United States had flagrantly violated the sovereignty of China and international law. “US, hiding behind the banner of “freedom of navigation”, once again sent a military ship that illegally entered the waters of the Chinese Xisha Islands, violating China’s laws and relevant rules of international law, grossly violating China’s sovereignty, undermining peace, security and order in these waters,” — said in a statement.
In late may, Beijing warned that the United States is at risk to seriously undermine the negotiations between the concerned parties in the South China sea. The announcement was made after a warship of the U.S. Navy passed 12 nautical miles from the artificial island built by China in the disputed waters.
12 July of last year the arbitration court in the Hague has determined that Beijing has no right to the disputed territory in the South China sea. In response, the President of China, XI Jinping stated that the Islands in the South China sea since ancient times are an integral territory of China.
Islands in the South China sea are the subject of a territorial dispute between China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Philippines, Brunei and Vietnam. Most tense is the situation around the Scarborough reef, also South of the Spratly archipelago, which is believed rich in oil and gas.