Beijing declared that it "does not allow" the US or other countries to send ships within 12 nautical miles of the reefs that China illegally built in Vietnam's Truong Sa.

Ms. Hua Chunying, spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Photo: fmprc.gov.cn.

Reuters quoted a US defense official on October 8 as saying that Washington is considering sending warships within 12 nautical miles of artificial islands illegally built by China in the Spratly Islands. The move could take place in the next few days but is awaiting President Barack Obama’s approval.

Admiral Harry Harris, commander of US forces in the Pacific, yesterday refused to announce the possibility of implementing the plan. He made it clear that this was an option presented to President Obama and emphasized that the US must patrol freedom of navigation throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

Ms. Hua Chunying, spokeswoman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, in a press conference yesterday brazenly called the waters around the Spratly Islands "territorial waters" and declared that "other countries will not be allowed to violate them under the name of freedom of navigation and overflight."

In May, China asked the US Navy P8-A Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft to leave eight times when it flew over Fiery Cross Reef, where Beijing has been massively reclaiming, renovating and building. The US at the time asserted that the P8-A was flying in international airspace.

China claims sovereignty over most of the East Sea, overlapping with the waters of neighboring countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines. Beijing also brazenly conducts illegal land reclamation in Vietnam's Truong Sa archipelago.

Hanoi asserts that any foreign construction or expansion on the islands and reefs in the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos without the permission of the Vietnamese government is illegal and worthless. Washington also does not recognize Beijing's claim of sovereignty over the artificial islands, declaring that the US Navy will operate wherever international law allows./.

According to VnExpress