Chinese Navy Responds After US Ship Patrols in the South China Sea

According to WantChinaTimes, the Chinese Navy spoke out on October 28 after the US destroyer USS Lassen entered the 12-nautical mile zone of at least one artificial island that China illegally built in Vietnam's Truong Sa archipelago.

The US destroyer USS Lassen. (Source: Sputniknews)

Chinese Navy spokesman Liang Yang warned that any intrusion by US naval vessels into Beijing's (illegally) claimed waters in the South China Sea could "cause incidents."

On the same day, the Taipei military (China - MND) said that the island's government is monitoring developments in the East Sea after a US warship conducted a patrol in the area.

Meanwhile, many countries have voiced their support for the US move, stating that all countries have the right to freedom of navigation and freedom of flight, including in the East Sea, in accordance with international law.

According to Reuters, the USS Lassen will sail near Subi and Mischief Reefs in the Spratly Islands and will likely be accompanied by P-8A and P-3 surveillance aircraft, which regularly conduct operations in the area. Further patrols are likely to take place in the coming weeks.

Subi and Vành Khăn in the Trường Sa archipelago are among seven reefs of Vietnam illegally occupied by China. Vietnam affirms that it has full legal and historical grounds for sovereignty over the Hoàng Sa and Trường Sa, including Subi and Vành Khăn.

In response to the US press reporting that Washington sent warships into the 12-nautical mile waters around the islands illegally built by China in Vietnam's Truong Sa archipelago, on October 15, the spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated: "Countries inside and outside the region have the responsibility to contribute to maintaining and enhancing peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and aviation in this region. Such contributions must be based on strict compliance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), as well as aiming to soon reach a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC)"./.

According to Vietnam+