China Expels US Navy Ship in Contested South China Sea Waters

Kokcha News Agency – In a recent military operation in the South China Sea, the navies of China and the United States faced off near the contested Scarborough Shoal. The Chinese military announced that it had monitored and “expelled” a US destroyer, the USS Higgins, which entered the waters without the Chinese government’s approval. The Southern Theater Command of the Chinese military stated that the US action “seriously violated China’s sovereignty and security, and severely undermined peace and stability in the South China Sea.”

The US Navy, however, defended its operation, stating that it was conducted in accordance with international law. This marks the first known US military operation in the area in at least six years, coming just a day after the Philippines accused Chinese ships of “dangerous maneuvers and illegal interference” during a resupply mission near the atoll.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, despite overlapping claims from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The US regularly conducts “freedom of navigation” operations in the region to challenge restrictions imposed by China and other claimants.

Scarborough Shoal, a strategic location in the South China Sea where over $3 trillion in annual maritime trade passes, has been a focal point of tension. Earlier this week, the Philippines reported that Chinese ships’ actions led to a collision between two vessels, marking the first known incident of its kind in the area. The Chinese coast guard stated it took “necessary measures” to remove Philippine ships from the waters.