According to China, the USS Milius was in the waters around the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, “without permission from the Chinese government.” The archipelago, whose area is about seven square kilometers, is very controversial. For example, China controls the islands in principle, but Taiwan and Vietnam also claim the archipelago.
The US military has not yet responded to the Chinese allegations. In contrast, reports on the Indo-Pacific Command’s social media platforms confirm that the US Navy has been conducting exercises in the East Asian region in recent days.
Similar incidents have already occurred with US ships in the past. The Chinese military also reported in June last year that it had expelled a US warship. On the other hand, the United States claimed that this claim was false and that the ship was only going on a navigational course, which is in accordance with international law. “The United States upholds the principle of freedom of navigation for all nations and will continue to defend the rights and freedoms of the seas,” she said in a statement.
Tensions between the United States and China have increased recently, in part because of China’s close relationship with Russia. Washington has strategically strengthened its alliances in the Asia-Pacific region to limit China’s power in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait.
look. Chinese President Xi bids farewell to Putin: “Change is coming and we are the driving force behind it”
