The Chinese Foreign Ministry has stated that a US destroyer has entered the country’s territorial waters in the South China Sea without permission, thus, violating Beijing’s sovereignty.
According to a statement made by Beijing, “On January 17, a US destroyer entered the waters of China 12 nautical miles from the Huangyan island [also known as Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea] without the permission of the Chinese government. The Chinese Navy, in accordance with the law, carried out a “friend-or-foe” check against the American vessel and issued a warning to leave the corresponding waters.”