Washington – A US Navy guided-missile destroyer on Monday sailed neardisputed islands in the South China Sea where Beijing has built militaryinstallations, as trade talks between the two countries kicked off.
The US and its allies periodically send planes and warships through thearea, which is claimed by China, to signal to Beijing their right underinternational law to pass through the waters.
The USS McCampbell sailed within 12 nautical miles (22 kilometres) of theParacel Islands “to challenge excessive maritime claims,” US Pacific Fleetspokeswoman Rachel McMarr told AFP.
She added that so-called “freedom of navigation” operations are “not aboutany one country, nor are they about making political statements.”
The sail-by came as Chinese and US officials kicked off talks in Beijing tofind a solution to a bitter trade war that last year saw the two sidesimpose tariffs on more than $300 billion in total two-way trade.
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“All operations… demonstrate that the United States will fly, sail andoperate wherever international law allows. That is true in the South ChinaSea as in other places around the globe,” McMarr said.
The Paracel Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam. Beijingasserts nearly all of the South China Sea as its territory, while Taiwan,the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts. – APP/AFP
