China Deploys Naval Forces to Track U.S. Warship Near Disputed South China Sea Shoal
China’s Southern Theater Command said it sent forces to track the USS Charleston after the ship “illegally intruded” into waters adjacent to Sabina Shoal in the Spratly Islands early on Tuesday. It said the U.S. action infringed China’s sovereign rights, jeopardized maritime security and harmed regional peace and stability, and urged the United States to stop such activities. Separately, Taiwan’s Coast Guard reported a standoff with a Chinese Coast Guard ship near the Pratas Islands, with both sides exchanging broadcasts and Taiwan affirming its sovereignty.
Why it matters: The incidents illustrate how maritime security in the South China Sea is contested through naval tracking and coast guard standoffs.