China vessel dangerously close to Navy ship, U.S. says

BEIJING — A Chinese destroyer came aggressively close to a Navy ship in the South China Sea, forcing it to maneuver to prevent a collision, the U.S. Pacific Fleet said Tuesday, describing an encounter that could worsen tensions between the nations.

The Chinese warship approached the USS Decatur in an “unsafe and unprofessional maneuver” on Sunday near Gaven Reefs in the South China Sea, said Pacific Fleet Spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Tim Gorman.

It approached within 45 yards of the Decatur’s bow, forcing it to maneuver, Gorman said in an emailed statement.

China claims most of the strategic waterway and has built islands on reefs and equipped them with military facilities such as airstrips, radar domes and missile systems.