China sends naval forces to monitor US warship near disputed shoal

China sent naval forces to monitor the US Navy warship USS Charleston near Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea on Tuesday, accusing it of illegally entering disputed waters. Separately, Taiwan reported a standoff with a Chinese Coast Guard vessel near the Pratas Islands.

China's military said on Tuesday it had sent forces to monitor a US warship that it accused of illegally entering waters around Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea. The Chinese Southern Theatre Command said the USS Charleston entered waters adjacent to the shoal without approval. The US Navy 7th Fleet responded that the ship conducted routine operations in international waters. A Philippines military spokesperson backed the US position, saying no nation can require prior permission for lawful transit. Separately, Taiwan's Coast Guard reported a standoff with a Chinese Coast Guard vessel near the Pratas Islands, where both sides broadcast competing sovereignty claims. The article notes that China views almost all of the South China Sea as its territory, despite overlapping claims by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.