Paracel Islands

The Chinese military said it had tracked a US warship in the South China Sea on Thursday and "warned it to leave" waters claimed by Beijing.

China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea -- a strategic waterway through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually -- despite an international court ruling that the assertion has no legal basis.

China has increased military presence in the South China Sea (SCS).The Red Army recently deployed a rocket launcher in disputed Fiery Cross Reef. The Chinese state-run media reported over the weekend that Beijing made the move in order to counter the Vietnamese aggression.

A US Navy destroyer has sailed close to a disputed South China Sea island controlled by China for the first time under US President Donald Trump.
The USS Dewey sailed within 12 miles (20 kilometers) of Mischief Reef, in the Spratly Island chain, on Wednesday, in a “freedom of navigation operation,” according to a US official.

China has deployed an advanced surface-to-air missile system to one of the disputed islands it controls in the South China Sea, Taiwan and U.S. officials said, while Chinese FM Wang Yi on Feb. 17 sought to downplay reports that China had positioned anti-aircraft missiles.

Novinite has been asked to publish a statement by China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the developments in the South China Sea.

Since the publication reflects no position or affiliation of our website, Novinite is urging all the parties affected to provide their opinion on the issues discussed here.