The Chinese military announced that the United States (U.S.) missile destroyer “USS Hoper” entered Chinese territorial waters without the approval of the Chinese authorities.
In the announcement of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command on the official order, it is stated that the PLA Southern Theater Command has deployed its naval and air forces to lawfully “track, monitor and warn” the ship.
The incident “proves that the U.S. is an open creator of a ‘security risk’ in the South China Sea,” the statement said.
The statement came days after China accused the Philippines of hiring “foreign forces” to patrol the South China Sea.
Philippine and U.S. forces have been conducting joint patrols in the area since Tuesday.
Earlier this month, the U.S. and China discussed maritime issues, including the disputed South China Sea, with the U.S. expressing concern over China’s “dangerous and illegal” actions in the area, the U.S. Department of State said.
E.Dz.
