Trong vòng 24 g sắp tới, một khu trục hạm thuộc Hạm đội 7 của hải quân
Mỹ sẽ vào gần hơn 12 hải lý một hòn đảo nhân tạo mà Trung Quốc đang xây
dựng ở vùng quần đảo Trường Sa để khẳng định quyền tự do hàng hải trên
vùng biển quốc tế. John Kirby, người phát ngôn Bộ ngoại giao Mỹ, tuyên
bố theo đúng thông lệ quốc tế, Mỹ không thông báo trước cho Trung Quốc
hay nước nào khác. Quyết định này đã được tồng thống B. Obama thông qua.
Washington (CNN)The United States sent a warship very close to one of China's artificial islands in the South China Sea on Tuesday, a potential challenge to Beijing's territorial claims in the contested waters.
Washington (CNN)The United States sent a warship very close to one of China's artificial islands in the South China Sea on Tuesday, a potential challenge to Beijing's territorial claims in the contested waters.
A
U.S. defense official told CNN that the destroyer USS Larson "conducted
a transit" within 12 nautical miles of Subi Reef in the Spratly Islands
on Tuesday morning local time.
The
operation put the ship within an area that would be considered Chinese
sovereign territory if the U.S. recognized the manmade islands as being
Chinese territory, the official added.
The mission, which had the approval of President Barack Obama, has now concluded, the official said.
The
United States had not breached the 12-mile limit since China began
massive dredging operations to turn three reefs, including Subi, into
artificial islands in 2014.
The South China Sea is the subject of numerous rival
and often messy territorial claims, with China, Brunei, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam disputing sovereignty of several island
chains and nearby waters.
On Tuesday
morning before it was confirmed that the U.S. warship had breached the
12-mile zone, Wang Yi, China's foreign minister, said:
"We
advise the U.S. side to think twice before action, not to conduct any
rash action, and not to create trouble out of nothing."
China
has repeatedly said its activity in the South China Sea does not target
any other country or affect freedom of navigation by sea or air.
'Routine operation'
Another defense official told CNN that the operation was "routine" and was in accordance with international law.
"We will fly, sail and operate anywhere in the world that international law allows," the official said.
"U.S.
Freedom of Navigation operations are global in scope and executed
against a wide range of excessive maritime claims, irrespective of the
coastal state advancing the excessive claim," the official added.
His
comments echoed those of State Department spokesman John Kirby on
Monday, who said one country didn't need to consult another "when you
are exercising the right of freedom of navigation in international
waters."
Zhu Haiquan, the spokesperson
of the Chinese Embassy in Washington said: "Freedom of navigation and
overflight should not be used as excuse to flex muscle and undermine
other countries' sovereignty and security."
"We
urge the United States to refrain from saying or doing anything
provocative and act responsibly in maintaining regional peace and
stability," Zhu said in a statement Monday night.
News of the ship's plan was first reported by Reuters.
Chinese navy ships entered U.S. territorial waters off Alaska in September, coming within 12 miles of the coastline during President Barack Obama's visit to the state, U.S. officials told CNN at the time.
The officials emphasized that China's actions were consistent with "innocent passage" under international maritime law.
