China says ‘expelled’ US warship in SCS

BEIJING: China on Friday said it has expelled a US warship from the South China Sea, a day after the same destroyer passed through the Taiwan Strait.

The People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) southern theatre command issued a statement saying it deployed warships and aircraft to warn and drive away USS John S McCain from near the Xisha Islands, also known as Paracel Islands.

The US Navy has said it was carrying out a lawful, “freedom of navigation operation”.

Friday’s exchange is part of a war of words that has broken out between Beijing and Washington on the passage of the US warship through the region in the past 24 hours - the first such escalation of tensions since Joe Biden took over as president.

Four years of Donald Trump’s presidency saw increased tensions between the world powers over a range of issues including disputes in the South China Sea and Taiwan.

China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, but that claim is disputed by several maritime neighbours including The Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia, besides Vietnam and Taiwan.

Tian Junli, spokesperson of the Chinese theatre command, said the passage of the US warship “seriously” infringed upon China’s sovereignty and security, undermined regional peace and stability, and deliberately disrupted the “good atmosphere” of peace, friendship, and cooperation in the SCS maritime zone.

In a statement, the US Navy said its warship was asserting international navigational rights in the waters of the SCS.

“On February 5 (local time) USS John S McCain asserted navigational rights and freedoms in the vicinity of the Paracel Islands, consistent with international law,” Joe Keiley, US Navy’s 7th Fleet spokesperson, said.

“This freedom of navigation operation upheld the rights, freedoms and lawful uses of the sea recognised in international law by challenging the unlawful restrictions on innocent passage imposed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam and also by challenging China’s claim to straight baselines enclosing the Paracel Islands,” Keiley said.