A US Navy warship sailed within 12 nautical miles of an artificial island built up by China, American officials said on Wednesday, the first such challenge to Beijing under US President Donald Trump.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the USS Dewey was traveling close to the Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, among a string of islets, reefs and shoals over which China has territorial disputes with its neighbors.
The so-called “freedom of navigation operation” comes at a time when Trump is seeking China’s cooperation to rein in ally North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.
The move, the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijing’s efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters, is likely to anger China.
Under the previous administration, the US Navy conducted such voyages through the South China Sea. The last such operation was carried out in October, approved by then-President Barack Obama.
China’s extensive claims to the South China Sea, which sees about US$5 trillion in ship-borne trade pass every year, are challenged by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, as well as Taiwan.
A brave heroic couragoeus peace loving, etc blah blah blah act. LMAO!
Every country became a super power with large scale organised robbing & looting,to be fair china has become a super power without such large scale loot or robbery.The americans want to poke china similar to the way Pakistan pokes at India.
Americans are real imbeciles and never seems to learn, becoming the laughing stock of the world. Where ever they go they bring bad news – chaos and mayhem.
They like to display their military might but are not brave fighters and has never won a war they fought with an opponent big or small that can hit back.
By the same logic, US illegally occupied Hawaii islands and Okinawa and many bases in the Pacific without the consent of the aboriginal people there, so now it is legal to to sail into 12miles of the island and claimed FON.
When China reaches an agreement with ASEAN, Vietnam and Philippines, what reason would US have to be there? Everytime they do a "freedom of navigation", it gives China an excuse to further militarise the islands.
These are called freedom occupation and coercion.