US Navy Asserts Freedom of Navigation in Contested South China Sea
Date
4/10/2023 6:58:09 AM
(MENAFN) In a move that has been met with controversy, the United States Navy has announced that its guided-missile destroyer, the USS Milius, sailed through waters claimed by Beijing in the South China Sea on Monday. This maneuver, known as a "freedom of navigation" operation, was carried out to uphold the "rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea," according to a statement released by the Navy. The statement also noted that the destroyer had "asserted navigational rights and freedoms in the South China Sea near the Spratly Islands, consistent with international law."
Following the operation, the USS Milius "exited the excessive claim area and continued operations in the South China Sea," the statement added. The ship reportedly sailed within 12 nautical miles of Mischief Reef, which is located approximately 1,400 kilometers (860 miles) from the southern tip of Taiwan's mainland.
However, China has strongly condemned the actions of the United States Navy, calling the intrusion "illegal." Tian Junli, spokesperson for the Chinese military's Southern Theatre Command, stated that the missile destroyer had "illegally intruded into the waters adjacent to the Meiji Reef in China's Nansha Islands without the approval of the Chinese government." Junli added that Beijing's air force had "followed and carried out surveillance of the vessel."
This latest incident highlights the ongoing tensions between the United States and China over the South China Sea, which is a highly contested territory. China has been accused of militarizing the region and making excessive territorial claims that have been rejected by many other countries. The United States, on the other hand, has repeatedly carried out freedom of navigation operations in the area to assert its right to sail in international waters.
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