U.S. warship in operation near disputed island in South China Sea

[webfact]

U.S. warship in operation near disputed island in South China Sea

 

FILE PHOTO: The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Stethem transits waters east of the Korean peninsula during a photo exercise including the United States Navy and the Republic of Korea Navy during Operation Foal Eagle March 22, 2017. Picture taken March 22, 2017. U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kurtis A. Hatcher/Handout via REUTERS

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. warship sailed near a disputed island in the South China Sea claimed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam on Sunday in an operation meant to challenge the competing claims of all three nations, a U.S. Defense Department official said.

 

The USS Stethem, a guided-missile destroyer, sailed within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island, part of the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, the official said.

 

The operation was first reported by Fox News on Sunday.

 

It was the second "freedom-of-navigation operation," or "fonop," conducted during the presidency of Donald Trump, following a drill in late May in which a U.S. warship sailed within 12 nautical miles of an artificial island built up by China in the South China Sea.

 

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement the U.S. ship had made an unauthorised entry into China's territorial waters.

 

The operation was a "serious political and military provocation," the statement, issued late on Sunday said, citing ministry spokesman Lu Kang. It said China had sent battle ships and fighter jets to warn off the Stethem.

 

"China strongly urges the U.S. side to immediately stop this kind of provocative action which seriously violates China's sovereignty and puts at risk China's security," Lu said. China would take all necessary measures to defend itself, he said.

 

Twelve nautical miles marks the territorial limits recognised internationally. Sailing within those 12 miles is meant to show that the United States does not recognise territorial claims there.

 

"Unlike in the Spratlys, where China has created new artificial territory in the last several years, it has effectively controlled the Paracels since 1974," said Mira Rapp-Hooper, a South China Sea expert at the Center for a New American Security. "It claims illegal straight baselines around the Paracels, and the fonop may have been contesting these."

 

Trump has heaped praise on Chinese President Xi Jinping, but his administration has also stepped up pressure on Beijing as he has become frustrated that China has not done more to pressure North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs.

 

On Thursday, the administration imposed sanctions on two Chinese citizens and a shipping company for helping North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, and accused a Chinese bank of laundering money for Pyongyang.

 

The Trump administration has also approved an arms package for Taiwan worth about $1.4 billion, the State Department said last week. China deems Taiwan its own and has never renounced the use of force to bring the self-ruled island under its control.

 

Trump is due to speak to Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday, ahead of meetings he will hold with both leaders on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, next Friday and Saturday.

 

(Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati and David Brunnstrom; Additional reporting by Tony Munroe in BEIJING and Adam Jourdan in SHANGHAI; Editing by Leslie Adler, Peter Cooney and Paul Tait)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-07-03

[Stargeezr]

It is good to see the US navy sailing in the open ocean.  China,  blah  blah, these are still

international waters, no matter what you are trying to do. Please do remember that, and stop

with those threats to civilian planes that you deem are to close to your supposed Chinese

Islands.

Geezer

[mrwebb8825]

Just another piece in the Trump puzzle to deal with NK and putting China back in their place since Obama went on his "America Apologizes To The World For Being America" tour. No wonder he left office with such a favorable rating from world leaders. A good knobjob is hard to find.

[ilostmypassword]

1 minute ago, mrwebb8825 said:

Just another piece in the Trump puzzle to deal with NK and putting China back in their place since Obama went on his "America Apologizes To The World For Being America" tour. No wonder he left office with such a favorable rating from world leaders. A good knobjob is hard to find.

I'm not surprised you don't know that under Obama the US navy frequently encroached upon the seas surrounding the islands that China claims it owns. 

[mrwebb8825]

12 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

I'm not surprised you don't know that under Obama the US navy frequently encroached upon the seas surrounding the islands that China claims it owns. 

I think you just like stalking me when I post. Never mentioned anything at all about what the Navy did during the 1st 7 yrs of Obama now did I?

[ilostmypassword]

Just now, mrwebb8825 said:

I think you just like stalking me when I post. Never mentioned anything at all about what the Navy did during the 1st 7 yrs of Obama now did I?

But you did take a gratuitous slap at Obama and once again posted nonsense about "Obama apologizing to the World."

You earned that slapdown.

[Scott]

I have removed a few baiting, bickering posts.   Continue and face a suspension.  

[mrwebb8825]

Sorry Scott

[puck2]

Let me say it with sarcasm:

President Xi will tell trump: I have asked the Philippines to send a big cargo vessel. Problem solved.