Chinese Foreign Ministry Says Passage Of U.S. Warship Near Disputed Spratly Islands Is ‘Illegal’ And A Threat To China
A spokesman from the Foreign Ministry of China slammed the passage of US warship near the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea, which he said was "illegal" and a threat to their country, BBC News forecasted.
The guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen reportedly violated the 12-nautical-mile limits China declares around artificial islands Subi and Mischief reefs in the disputed waters on Tuesday.
Spokesman Lu Kang revealed that the US warship had been "tracked and warned" during its operation to enter the disputed Spratly islands.
He informed that China would "resolutely respond to any country's deliberately provocative actions."
China's Foreign Ministry reportedly called upon the US ambassador to complain over the incident.
During a meeting with US ambassador to China Max Baucus, vice-foreign minister Zhang Yesui reportedly said that the incident last Tuesday was "extremely irresponsible," as noted by The Guardian on the same day.
Chinese officials also requested the US to "immediately correct its mistake" of breaching the limits China claims.
Meanwhile, an official from the US defence admitted that the USS Lassen crossed within the 12-nautical-mile borders of the disputed Spratly islands.
The defence official said the move was part of its "freedom of navigation" course adding that the action is expected to happen more often.
"I would expect that this becomes a regular operation in the South China Sea," it said. "This type of operation shouldn't be seen as provocative."
He also revealed that the USS Lassen had been monitored by Chinese vessels for weeks before the patrol which was confirmed by China's Defense Ministry. According to the latter, a Chinese guided-missile destroyer and a naval patrol vessel followed and warned that USS Lassen "according to law."
China's Defense Ministry said that the US' move was a "coercive action that seeks to militarize the South China Sea region," adding that such an action is an "abuse" of freedom of navigation based on the international law.
