US sends warship past Chinese-controlled S.China Sea islands

RT.com, 5 Feb, 2021-The US has sent the USS ‘John S. McCain’ past Chinese-controlled islands in the South China Sea as a show of strength in the first mission conducted since President Joe Biden took office.

The US Navy announced the mission in a statement, claiming that the USS ‘John S. McCain’ was asserting “navigational rights and freedoms in the vicinity of the Parcel Islands, consistent with international law.”

The warship had been carrying out operations in the region, having traveled through the Taiwan Strait on Thursday, an area that divides mainland China and Taiwan.  The Biden administration has indicated that further missions will take place, declaring that the US military will “fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows.”

Beijing criticized America’s “threats and provocations” in a statement from Wang Wenbin, the spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Speaking at a media briefing on Thursday, Wang declared: “China will continue to maintain a high level of alert at all times, respond to all threats and provocations at all times, and resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”