Beijing ‘warns off’ US warships in South China Sea as tensions rise

China’s foreign ministry says it is ‘strongly dissatisfied’ after Washington admits sailing two destroyers through disputed waterway

PLA Navy says it will take ‘all necessary measures’ to safeguard nation’s sovereignty

Reading Time:2 minutes

USS Preble was one of two guided-missile destroyers that took part in a US freedom of navigation exercise in the South China Sea on Monday. Photo: US Marine Corps

Published: 9:00pm, 6 May 2019Updated: 9:00pm, 6 May 2019

China expressed its “strong opposition” on Monday after two US warships sailed near disputed islands in the South China Sea.

It is the third time this year that Washington has challenged Beijing’s maritime claims in the region amid escalating rivalry between the two powers.

Guided-missile destroyers USS Preble and USS Chung-Hoon passed within 12 nautical miles of Gaven and Johnson reefs in the Spratly Islands on Monday, Commander Clay Doss, a spokesman for the US Navy’s Seventh Fleet, was quoted as saying by Reuters.

The features are also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan.

Doss said the move aimed to assert international rights to “innocent passage” and “challenge excessive maritime claims” in accordance with international law, according to the report.

The US Navy says the passage of USS Chung-Hoon (pictured) and USS Preble were intended to assert international rights to “innocent passage” in the South China Sea. Photo: US Navy

The incident was the third time this year that the US has conducted so-called freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea, compared to five publicly reported passages last year and four in 2017.