British warship sails near Paracel Islands

HMS Albion, a 22,000-ton amphibious assault ship carrying a contingent of Royal Marines, has passed through the area near the Paracel Islands in recent days,ReutersAlbion then docked at Saigon Port, Ho Chi Minh City on September 3, a source familiar with the matter said today.

China dispatched a destroyer and two helicopters to challenge the British ship, but both sides remained calm during the "encounter", the source revealed.Another source said the Albion did not enter territorial waters, a 12-nautical-mile zone around features in the area, but stressed Britain does not recognize excessive sovereignty claims around the Paracel Islands.

"HMS Albion exercised its rights of freedom of navigation in full compliance with international laws and regulations," a Royal Navy spokesman said.

The British ship's passage near the Paracel Islands comes as China increasingly exerts control and conducts illegal activities in this strategic sea area, while the US calls for more international intervention in such actions.

Britain and the United States both conduct freedom of navigation operations, but so far have failed to stop China from its illegal activities in the South China Sea, including reclaiming islands and reefs, building runways, hangars and missile systems.

China argues that the construction of facilities is for civilian purposes and self-defense when necessary, while criticizing the US for militarizing the East Sea through freedom of navigation operations.On August 10, Beijing sent a signal asking a US reconnaissance plane flying over the East Sea to leave the area, even though this was an operation in international airspace.

China used force to occupy the Paracel and Spratly Islands of Vietnam. Beijing then established the so-called "Sansha City", headquartered on Woody Island, part of the Paracel Islands, since July 2012, and built a 2,000-meter runway for military purposes, along with supporting facilities on Woody Island.

Vietnam has full legal basis and historical evidence to affirm its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos. Vietnam has repeatedly requested China to stop illegal actions and avoid further complicating the situation, especially militarization, which threatens peace, stability, security, safety, freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea.