'Illegal' warship activity between China and the US

The Southern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army stated in a release that the US warship had "illegally" entered the region, "seriously violating China's sovereignty and security."

The statement, which included the claim that "the US action is contrary to international law and the basic norms governing international relations," noted the following:

"This clearly shows that the US is the greatest threat to peace and stability in the South China Sea."

In a statement from the US 7th Fleet in the Pacific, it was stated that the ship's transit was "an activity consistent with international law within the framework of navigation rights and freedoms."

The statement included the following: "These operations demonstrate our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, where all nations, large or small, are secure in their sovereignty, can resolve disputes without coercion, and have the freedom to navigate and fly consistent with international laws, rules, and norms."

ABOUT THE SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTE

The South China Sea has been the subject of sovereignty disputes since the coastal countries gained their independence following World War II.

China claims sovereignty over 80 percent of the South China Sea with a map it first published in 1947. Coastal neighbors such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, and Malaysia also claim rights in the region.

Sovereignty disputes over islets, reefs, rocks, and maritime features in the region, primarily the Paracel and Spratly Islands, occasionally lead to tensions between the countries.

In addition to regional countries, the US also opposes China's construction of military bases on disputed islands and its long-term deployment of civilian ship fleets.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague ruled in 2016, upon the application of the Philippines, that China's unilateral sovereignty claims in the South China Sea were not legal.

News Source: AA