US warships close to controversial reef after collision with China ships
US warships close to controversial reef after collision with China ships
A destroyer of the US Navy carried out an operation on Wednesday to secure free navigation (Freedom of Navigation Operation, Fonop) near the controversial Scarborough Shoal in the South Chinese Sea. This happened only two days after two Chinese military ships were collided with a ship of the Filipino Coast Guard in the nearby waters.
US navy and Chinese military allegations
The presence of the US ship in the region led the Chinese military accused the US navy of violating China's territorial sovereignty. The US Navy, on the other hand, emphasized that they are right to stay in these waters.
international law and navigation rights
"USS HIGGINS (DDG 76) has enforced navigation rights and freedoms in the southern China Sea near Scarborough Reef in accordance with international law," said the spokesman for the 7th fleet of the US Navy, Lt. Sarah Merrill, in a statement towards Cnn.
claims on Scarborough Shoal
Both China, the Philippines and Taiwan raise demands on sovereignty about Scarborough Shoal. This is about 140 miles (222 kilometers) west of the main island of the Philippines and is located within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.
China's control over the area
The uninhabited riff has actually been under control since 2012 by maintaining an almost constant presence of the coast guard in the surrounding waters, according to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative. Merrill also pointed out that China and Taiwan require a prior notification of passing in the territorial waters of the reef, which violates international laws that guarantee the right to "innocent passage" by foreign warships. The Philippines do not make this requirement, added.Refuting China's claims
Merrill rejected an earlier assertion by the Chinese southern Russian military command that "it organized its forces to pursue, observe, warn and show it" because it "violated China's territorial sovereignty". "China's statement about this mission is wrong," emphasized Merrill.
us navy remains undeterred
"The United States defend their right to fly, sail and operate, wherever international law allows, as the USS Higgins did here. Nothing that says China will stop us," continues Merrill.
US navy ships near
According to the Filipino Coast Guard, the USS Higgins was not the only US warship near Scarborough Shoal on Wednesday. The coastship USS Cincinnati was also in the area, explained the spokesman Jay Tarriela in a message on X. Merrill only confirmed to CNN that the Cincinnati operated in the South Chinese Sea.
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