South China Sea: Chinese Destroyer Chases USS Decatur
Local Editor
A Chinese destroyer sent to escort the USS Decatur on a ‘freedom of navigation’ sail-by in the disputed South China Sea has come dangerously close and forced the US vessel to maneuver to “prevent collision,” the US Navy claimed.
The encounter between the US and Chinese Navies unfolded on Sunday morning when Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, sailing under the ‘freedom of navigation’ principle, approached close to one of the Gaven Reefs in the Tizard Bank of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.
In response, China dispatched a Luyang-class destroyer to escort the American warship away from the disputed area, allegedly behaving in an “unsafe and unprofessional” manner, according to the US version of events.
The Chinese destroyer conducted “a series of increasingly aggressive maneuvers accompanied by warnings for Decatur to depart the area,” Captain Charlie Brown, a US Pacific Fleet Spokesman, said Monday.
“The PRC destroyer approached within 45 yards of Decatur’s bow, after which Decatur maneuvered to prevent a collision.”
Meanwhile, China’s Defense Ministry slammed the US for abusing the ‘freedom of navigation’ principle to deliberately violate Chinese sovereignty, and noted that it was forced to activate its navy and warn the US destroyer to leave the area.
“The Chinese military will firmly perform its defense duties and continue to take all necessary measures to resolutely defend the sovereignty of the country and firmly safeguard regional peace and stability,” according to the statement.
In a separate statement, Chinese Foreign Ministry also criticized US actions, stressing that the latest American intrusion seriously damages the Sino-US ties. “We strongly urge the US to immediately correct its mistakes and stop such provocative actions so as not to damage Sino-US relations,” the statement said. “China will take all necessary measures to defend national sovereignty and security.”
While Beijing repeatedly claimed the right to protect its interests and territorial claims in the South China Sea and slammed the abuse of the ‘freedom of navigation’ principle, the Pacific Fleet vowed to continue sailing close to disputed waters.
The American disregard of China’s claims over the disputed waters, through which trillions of trade passes through annually, comes amid unprecedented tensions between the world’s largest economies. Just days before tit-for-tat tariffs targeting $260 billion worth of bilaterally exchanged goods came into effect on September 24, Washington imposed sanctions on the Chinese military for buying Russian fighter jets and missiles. Beijing, in turn, urged Washington to either reconsider the move or prepare to bear “consequences.”
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
