US Navy destroyers sails near disputed waters of South China Sea

Asia-Pacific, News, US July 17, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

In a second operation to proclaim its freedom of navigation, U.S. Navy’s warship sailed near the disputed Paracel Islands, challenging China’s claims to the waters.

A U.S. Navy warship USS Benfold challenged China’s claims to the waters of the South China Sea by navigating close to the disputed Paracel Island (also known as the Xisha Island in China). Paracel Island is a part of the disputed Spratly Islands archipelago where navigation and transit restrictions are imposed by China.

The spokesperson of the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet headquarters in Japan Lt. Nicholas Lingo said that it was the second freedom of navigation operation in the South China Sea conducted this year. He stated that the operation was aimed to target Beijing’s “excessive maritime claims” in the region.

In his statement, Lingo announced that “On July 16, USS Benfold (DDG 65) asserted navigational rights and freedoms in the South China Sea near the Spratly Islands, consistent with international law.”

“Unlawful and sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea pose a serious threat to the freedom of the seas, including the freedoms of navigation and overflight, free trade and unimpeded commerce, and freedom of economic opportunity for South China Sea littoral nations. Under international law, the ships of all states, including their warships, enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea. The unilateral imposition of any authorization or advance-notification requirement for innocent passage is unlawful,” Lingo added.

During its transit from the waters near Paracel Island on July 16, U.S. Navy’s guided missile destroyer did not only challenge China’s claims to the disputed water but also Vietnam and Taiwan’s claims in the region. All three governments require the military vessels to seek permission before transiting through the region or at least give advance notice of an ‘innocent transit’.

In response to the U.S. Navy’s efforts to practice their “freedom of operation”, Spokesperson of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force Southern Theater Command Col. Tian Junli said that “The actions of the U.S. military have seriously violated China’s sovereignty and security, seriously undermined the peace and stability of the South China Sea, and seriously violated international law and norms of international relations.”

*^{Island claims in the South China Sea. (Image Credit: VOA/WikiCommons)}*

Beijing claims that almost the entire South China Sea belongs to China. Due to this claim, China holds a dispute with the neighboring countries in the region including Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei. All regional actors have a different take on the South China Sea’s maritime borders which makes it one of the most complicated areas for maritime navigation in not only the Indo-Pacific region but also around the world.

Recently, China has also been accused of building artificial islands on some of its South China Sea holdings to claim more of the water and by declaring those waters as China’s Exclusive Economic Zones or EEZ. These islands also consist of military settlements, including airports, which has raised several concerns about PLA’s future intentions in the region.