The United States Navy has sent a guided-missile destroyer, the USS Milius, to sail within 12 nautical miles of Mischief Reef in the Spratly islands in the South China Sea. The island, also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan, has been fortified by China with military installations as part of its territorial claims over the region. The move by the US is a "freedom of navigation operation" (FONOP) aimed at defending the rights of vessels of any nation to operate in the area. The US Navy regularly conducts such FONOPs, with this being the second in three weeks by the USS Milius. The US Navy's 7th Fleet said the actions of China, including building up and placing military infrastructure on Mischief Reef, are in violation of the Law of the Sea Convention, and that features such as Mischief Reef that are submerged at high tide in their naturally formed state are not entitled to a territorial sea.
China claims almost all of the South China Sea, including many distant islands and inlets, as part of its territorial waters. The Spratly islands, known as the Nansha Islands in China, are also claimed by the Philippines and Taiwan. In response to the US Navy's action, a spokesperson for the People's Liberation Army's Southern Theater Command accused the US destroyer of illegally intruding into Chinese waters near Mischief Reef. The spokesperson also stated that China has "indisputable sovereignty" over the South China Sea islands and their nearby waters.
The sailing of the USS Milius came as the Chinese military entered a third day of a show of force around Taiwan, a thousand miles away near the northern entrance to the South China Sea, in response to a brief visit by Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen to the United States. Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory, despite never having ruled it, and has warned against Tsai's meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Beijing had previously threatened to take "strong and resolute measures" if the meeting went ahead. The military exercises around Taiwan have been seen as a warning to both Taiwan and the US against any moves towards independence or closer ties.
The situation in the South China Sea has been a source of tension between the US and China, with the US accusing China of militarizing the region and violating international law. China, on the other hand, argues that it has historical claims over the area and accuses the US of interfering in its affairs. The US has also been seeking to strengthen its ties with Taiwan, which China sees as a red line that should not be crossed. The recent actions by the US and China suggest that the tensions in the region are likely to continue.
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