A U.S. warship sailed near a disputed island in the South China Sea on Sunday in an operation meant to challenge competing claims in the area, 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 waters are known as the East Sea in Vietnam. 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 unauthorized entry into China's territorial waters. The operation was a "serious political and military provocation," the statement, issued late on Sunday said, citing ministry … [Read more...] about US warship in operation near disputed island in South China Sea
Disputed islands in south china sea
China to hold drills in South China Sea (Vietnam’s East Sea) ahead of court ruling
Related News China to hold drills in South China Sea (Vietnam's East Sea) ahead of court ruling By Reuters/ Ben Blanchard  July 3, 2016 | 11:14 am GMT+7 China's State Councilor Yang Jiechi (L) attends the 9th meeting of the steering committee of the Vietnam - China bilateral cooperation at the International Convention Center in Hanoi, Vietnam June 27, 2016. Photo by Reuters/Kham China will hold military drills around the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea (Vietnam's East Sea), the maritime safety administration said on Sunday, ahead of a decision by an international court in a dispute between China and the Philippines. China routinely carries out exercises in the South China Sea (Vietnam's East Sea), where its territorial claims overlap in parts with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. Tensions have been rising ahead of a July 12 ruling by an arbitration court hearing the dispute between China and the Philippines over the … [Read more...] about China to hold drills in South China Sea (Vietnam’s East Sea) ahead of court ruling
U.S. bombers flew near China-built island in South China Sea: Pentagon
Two U.S. B52 strategic bombers flew near artificial Chinese-built islands in the South China Sea this week and were contacted by Chinese ground controllers but continued their mission undeterred, the Pentagon said on Thursday. The latest U.S. patrol in the disputed South China Sea occurred in advance of President Barack Obama's visit to the region next week to attend Asia-Pacific summits where he is expected the reassert Washington's commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight in the area. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion in global trade passes every year, and the United States has said it will continue conducting patrols to assure unimpeded passage. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Taiwan have rival claims in the region. In the latest mission, which occurred overnight on Nov. 8-9, the bombers flew "in the area" of the Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands but did not come within the 12-nautical-mile zones that China claims as … [Read more...] about U.S. bombers flew near China-built island in South China Sea: Pentagon
Obama urges halt to artificial islands in South China Sea
U.S. President Barack Obama said on Saturday that countries should stop building artificial islands and militarising their claims in the disputed South China Sea. "For the sake of regional stability the claimants should halt reclamation, construction and militarization of disputed areas," Obama told a meeting between the United States and leaders of the 10 Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). China insists it has undisputed sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, a claim that overlaps with four ASEAN countries. China has been transforming reefs in the Spratly archipelago into artificial islands and has built airfields and other facililties on them. This has caused ripples of alarm in much of East Asia about China's intentions and freedom of navigation in a waterway through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes annually. Obama said he commended ASEAN for working to create a code of conduct for the South China Sea "including the peaceful resolution of disputes, … [Read more...] about Obama urges halt to artificial islands in South China Sea
China again lands planes on disputed island in South China Sea: Xinhua
China on Wednesday landed two test flights on an island it has built in the South China Sea, four days after it angered Vietnam with a landing on the same runway in the disputed territory, the Xinhua state news agency said. The two flights are likely to spark further condemnation from Vietnam, which launched a formal diplomatic protest over the weekend, and the Philippines, which said it was planning to do the same. Both countries have claims to the area that overlap with that of China, which claims almost the whole of the South China Sea. Xinhua said the two planes landed on an artificial island in the Spratly Islands on Wednesday morning. "The successful test flights proved that the airport has the capacity to ensure the safe operation of large civilian aircraft," Xinhua said, adding that the airport would facilitate the transport of supplies, personnel and medical aid. Xinhua did not give any more detail about what type of aircraft had landed. The runway at the Fiery Cross Reef is … [Read more...] about China again lands planes on disputed island in South China Sea: Xinhua