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US navy to send destroyer in serious challenge to China territorial claims
Patrol marks most serious US challenge yet to territorial limit China claims around the islands in South China Sea, and follows months of deliberation
South China Sea
Monday 26 October 2015 14.51 EDT
The US navy plans to send the USS Lassen destroyer within 12 nautical miles of artificial islands built by China in the South China Sea within 24 hours, the first of more regular challenges to China’s territorial claims, according to a US defense official.
The destroyer’s patrol would occur near Subi and Mischief reefs in the Spratly archipelago, features that were formerly submerged at high tide before China began a massive dredging project to turn them into islands in 2014.
The ship would probably be accompanied by a US navy P-8A surveillance plane, and possibly P-3 surveillance plane, which have been conducting regular surveillance missions in the region, the official said on Monday.
If US relations with China turn sour, there will probably be war
Timothy Garton Ash
The patrol will mark the most serious US challenge yet to the 12-nautical-mile territorial limit China claims around the islands, and follows months of deliberation.
