According to the Chinese military, the USS Hopper, an American naval destroyer, entered Chinese territorial waters without the Chinese government’s consent.
The Chinese military claimed to have sent out its air force and naval troops to “track, monitor, and warn away” the vessel in a post on the Southern Theatre Command’s official WeChat account. According to news agency Reuters, China stated that the event “proves that the United States is a serious security risk creator in the South China Sea.”
What is the issue in the territorial waters?
The issue occurs in response to China’s criticism of joint patrols between US and Philippine forces in the South China Sea, when China claimed that the Philippines were using “foreign forces” to patrol the area.
The disputed South China Sea was one of the topics of “candid” discussions between the US and China earlier this month. According to the US State Department, the US side emphasized how concerned it is about “dangerous and unlawful” Chinese activity in the area.
A 7th Fleet spokesman, Lt. Kristina Wiedemann, said that the Navy’s move goes against China, Taiwan, and Vietnam’s bans on armed boats passing through the area. This incident comes after China accused the Philippines of using “foreign forces” to patrol the South China Sea, adding to the ongoing tensions in the disputed territory.
The United States and China talked about the United States’ concerns on “dangerous and unlawful” moves by China in the South China Sea during “candid” discussions on maritime affairs earlier this month. One of many steps the U.S. Navy has taken in the South China Sea, the USS Hopper is now involved in an operation near the Paracel Islands to protest limitations on innocent passage.
The 7th Fleet claims that these limitations in territorial waters are in violation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, an international convention that governs both civilian and military maritime activity and is ratified by 168 of the 193 U.N. member nations.
Conclusion
Post APEC Summit 2023, the high-level bilateral meeting between USA and China, this tension over territorial waters will shift relationship dynamics between both economies.
