China says it ‘drove away’ US warship ‘illegally’ in waters claimed by Beijing on anniversary of Hague ruling on South China Sea

Beijing has as soon as once more referred to as on the US to desist from provocative habits after an American warship entered the waters across the Paracel Islands on the fifth anniversary of a courtroom ruling in opposition to Chinese language claims to the area.

In an announcement on Monday, the Southern Theater Command of the Folks’s Liberation Military mentioned it had handled an American warship, the USS ‘Benfold’, which had entered the waters across the Paracel Islands with out China’s approval. 

“We urge the USA to right away cease such provocative actions,” it mentioned in an announcement, including that the US should chorus from additional strikes that significantly violate Chinese language sovereignty and undermine the steadiness of the South China Sea.

The US Navy insisted it was finishing up its common operations and was not in violation of worldwide regulation. “Underneath worldwide regulation as mirrored within the Legislation of the Sea Conference, the ships of all states, together with their warships, – get pleasure from the fitting of harmless passage by way of the territorial sea,” the Navy said.

Monday’s disagreement comes 5 years to the day after the Everlasting Court docket of Arbitration within the Hague dominated that Beijing has no entitlement to the huge swathes of territory it continues to assert within the South China Sea on grounds of historic utilization. The Paracel Islands are additionally claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam. 

Additionally on rt.com

The US Navy mentioned that its “harmless passage” by way of the islands was a problem to the illegal restrictions put upon the world by China, Vietnam and Taiwan. “By conducting this operation, the USA demonstrated that these waters are past what China can lawfully declare as its territorial sea,” the US assertion added.

With copious overlapping territorial claims, the South China Sea continues to engender appreciable geopolitical dispute. The possibly resource-rich waters include lots of of islands and reefs which are contested by Taiwan, Brunei, China, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Beijing has been more and more assertive in implementing its so-called nine-dash line, a historic territorial declare to almost the entire waterway. Its assertiveness has seen relations worsen with its neighbors, notably the Philippines, the place the inhabitants has been enraged by Chinese language incursions on waters and reefs located inside Manila’s unique financial zone.

For those who like this story, share it with a good friend!