China’s Military Issues Warning to US Ship in Disputed South China Sea Encounter
Amidst tensions in the South China Sea, the US Navy reported an encounter involving its destroyer, the USS Halsey, exercising navigational rights near the Paracel Islands, an archipelago at the centre of territorial disputes involving multiple nations.
China’s military responded by stating it had issued a warning to the US Navy destroyer in the contested waters. The USS Halsey was reportedly sailing near the Paracel Islands when the incident occurred.
According to a spokesperson for China’s military, naval and air forces were deployed to track and monitor the USS Halsey, with a warning issued to deter its presence. The statement emphasized that such actions infringed upon China’s sovereignty and security.
The People’s Liberation Army criticized the US, labelling it as the “source of security risks” and framing the incident as evidence of America’s dominance in navigation and militarization within the South China Sea.
In response, the US Navy defended its actions, asserting the USS Halsey’s exercise of navigational rights and freedoms in the area near the Paracel Islands. It clarified that following the operation, the destroyer departed from the disputed territory, continuing its operations in the South China Sea.
Furthermore, the US Navy condemned what it described as China’s “unlawful and expansive” maritime claims in the region, highlighting the threat they pose to freedom of navigation. These claims have been contested by several nations, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. In a significant ruling in 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidated Beijing’s claims, citing a lack of basis in international law.
In relation to the story about the Chinese challenge to USS Halsey! I’ve said over and over and over again, the best way to put an end to such “paper Tiger” nonsense, is for the USA and its allies in S.E.Asian nations, and neighbouring nations like Australia, and NZ and India, to have a rotating fleet of convoys going through any and all of the contested waters, week after week, after week, with a warning to China that overly aggressive action by their ships and aircraft in International waters, will be interpreted as acts of aggression, which will result in defensive retaliation by allied ships or planes!
How many times will China suffer international humiliation when their bluff is called, until they decide to stop their tantrums? The “paper Tiger” cannot afford to “bring it on”, so to speak, and they will quickly grow tired of losing face on a weekly basis!
Know your enemy!