US warship illegally enters territory in S.China Sea: China

Reuters, 20 May, 2021- China said on Thursday a US warship had illegally entered its territorial waters in the South China Sea, and was expelled by its forces, an assertion the United States denied, in the latest exchange of salvos over Beijing’s claims in the busy waterway.

In a statement, the Chinese military’s Southern Theatre Command said the USS Curtis Wilbur entered the waters near the Paracel islands without permission, adding that its ships and planes followed the US vessel and “expelled” it.

It added that China opposed the US action, which it said violated its sovereignty and undermined regional peace and stability.

However, the US Navy’s 7th Fleet said the vessel “asserted navigational rights and freedoms” near the Paracel islands, over which China, Taiwan and Vietnam all claim sovereignty.

The Chinese military’s comments about the mission were false, it added.