Beijing summons US ambassador over warship in South China Sea

[zenitzz]

Chinese foreign ministry says Washington acted illegally when USS Lassen entered waters near disputed Spratly archipelago

China has reportedly summoned the US ambassador after Washington launched a direct military challenge to Beijing’s territorial claims in the South China Sea with naval manoeuvres near two artificial islands.

State television reported that the Chinese vice-foreign minister, Zhang Yesui, had branded the move “extremely irresponsible” when meeting with the US ambassador to China, Max Baucus.

Chinese authorities said earlier they had monitored, followed and warned US warship USS Lassen as it “illegally” entered waters near the disputed reefs, and urged Washington to “immediately correct its mistake”.

The US defence secretary, Ash Carter, confirmed under questioning from the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday that the warship had passed within 12 miles of a Chinese artificial island.

The USS Lassen began its mission through waters near the disputed Spratly archipelago at about 6.40am local time on Tuesday.

“The operation has begun … It will be complete within a few hours,” a senior US defence official told Reuters.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/27/us-warship-lassen-defies-beijing-sail-disputed-south-china-sea-islands

[danel]

This should be the type of issue that the UN takes up before military actions take place. Many other countries in the area have objected to the creation of these type of man made military site being placed all over disputed areas of the seas.

The U.S. has protection agreement with many of these same countries. China has a history of trying to take over all of the region for military use.

So UN for once, stop finding ways to criticize the U.S. and do your job.

[kydranel]

omg! world war 3 might happen if this feud wont be settles formally!.

[vero]

Without the US Army in this sea, communist China always comes out to kill fishermen and rob their properties, but today the coward China hides disappearing ,they dare not even use the water canon to shoot what they called" the American invaders". And the China's newspapers scare to speak up a single word!