South China Sea: Beijing says ‘irresponsible’ US hasn’t clearly explained submarine incident

Name: US submarine strikes unknown underwater object in disputed South China Sea
Uploaded: 2021-11-02T12:30:11.000Z
Duration: 3 min 10 s
Description: US submarine strikes unknown underwater object in disputed South China Sea

United States has failed to disclose exactly where it happened and what the vessel was doing there, foreign ministry spokesman says

The US Navy said the nuclear-powered submarine hit an uncharted underwater mountain in international waters in the Indo-Pacific

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China has urged the US to elaborate on the USS Connecticut incident and to “fully respond to the concerns and doubts of the countries in the region”. Photo: TNS

Teddy Ng,Minnie ChanandCatherine Wong

Published: 8:30pm, 2 Nov 2021Updated: 11:29pm, 2 Nov 2021

Beijing said a US probe into an incident involving a nuclear-powered submarine in the South China Sea last month did not ease concerns over America’s military activities in the region, and that Washington had failed to disclose exactly where it happened and what the vessel was doing there.

The US Navy on Monday said the Seawolf-class submarine USS Connecticut “grounded on an uncharted seamount while operating in international waters in the Indo-Pacific region”, but did not say what caused the incident on October 2. The statement from the US Seventh Fleet said its commander, Vice-Admiral Karl Thomas, would decide if “follow-on actions, including accountability, are appropriate”.

On Tuesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the US explanation was far from satisfactory. “Nearly a month after the incident, the US said the submarine hit an unknown sea mountain and blurred the location of the incident by saying it happened in international waters in the Indo-Pacific,” Wang said.

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US submarine strikes unknown underwater object in disputed South China Sea

“The US has still failed to disclose the exact location of the incident, the intention of the nuclear submarine navigation, whether it is in the exclusive economic zone or even the territorial waters of another country, whether it has caused a nuclear leak or damage to the marine environment,” he said. “These issues have never been clearly explained, and the incident exposes how irresponsible the US is. We once again urge the US to elaborate on the accident and fully respond to the concerns and doubts of the countries in the region.”

Wang also called for the US to stop its sending warships and military aircraft to make “provocations” in the region.

It comes amid rising tensions between Beijing and Washington, including over the disputed South China Sea and Taiwan.

At least 11 sailors on board the USS Connecticut were injured in the incident, which the US Navy made public on October 6, saying it had hit an unknown object. Beijing demanded that Washington provide an explanation and raised concern over a potential nuclear leak, which the US said had not happened.