The destroyer Hooper was near the Hsiasa (Paracel) Islands. In addition to China, Taiwan and Vietnam also claim the territory.
According to the fleet statement, the operation was aimed at drawing attention to free maritime traffic allowed in the region under international law, which China, according to the command, is trying to restrict.
They also emphasized that any country’s ships, including warships, have the right to pass freely through the region, adding that the requirement to obtain a passage permit – which the three countries insist on in the case of warships – is contrary to international law.
The Chinese army described the destroyer’s entry into Chinese waters as illegal.
The American warship arrived in the region not for the first time, and the Seventh Fleet had previously confirmed that it was conducting “routine operations in the region,” stressing that Washington “still reserves the right to be present by air and sea.” Where required by international law, “allowed”.
China claims sovereignty over the entire area of the South China Sea, which amounts to approximately 3.5 million square kilometers, which is rich in raw materials. It has also established several islands built for military purposes in the disputed area. However, parts of the sea, which is one of the world’s busiest shipping routes, are also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. MTI reported that China supports its claims with the fact that before 1930 no one disputed its sovereignty over the region.
Due to the outbreak of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, American warships (and a nuclear submarine) have recently arrived in the Middle East.
