Beijing claims it chased a US ship in the South China Sea, something Washington denies

Tension between again Beijing and Washington. China’s military on Thursday, March 23, indicated that it hunted down a US warship that “illegally entered” an archipelago it controls. South China SeaAn account of facts considered “false” by the United States.

The incident occurs against the backdrop of a struggle for influence between Beijing and Washington in this maritime region and a strong rivalry over many issues: Taiwan, TikTok, the treatment of the Uyghur minority or even trade.

The destroyer USS Milius “illegally entered” on Thursday “without the permission of Chinese authorities,” Tian Junli, spokesman for the Chinese military’s southern operations, said in a brief statement.

“Navy and air forces have been mobilized to monitor and track the vessel, as well as issue an alert and remove it from the area,” he said.

He condemned US maneuvers that “undermine peace and stability in the South China Sea” and assured that the military “is on its guard and will take all necessary measures to firmly protect national sovereignty.”

Disputed territory

The Paracels archipelago, equidistant from the Chinese and Vietnamese coasts, is disputed between Beijing and Hanoi. Following a naval clash in 1974, the Chinese Navy recaptured all of the islands.

“The PRC’s (People’s Republic of) statement is a lie,” said a spokesman for the US military’s Indo-Pacific Command.

“The USS Milius…is conducting routine operations in the South China Sea and has not been withdrawn. The United States will continue to fly, sail, and operate where international law allows,” he pointed out.

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China claims to be the first country to discover and name the islands of the South China Sea, through which much of the trade between Asia and the rest of the world passes today.

It thus claims most of the islands of this sea zone. But other littoral states (Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei) have competing sovereignty claims.

Each country controls several islands and atolls, particularly in the southern Spratly Archipelago, where incidents are more frequent than in the Paracels.

The United States continues to conduct so-called “freedom of navigation” operations in the South China Sea, sending warships to challenge China’s claims.

With AFP