the US Navy's resolute defense in the face of Chinese warship challenges in the South China Sea

Chin? s?i? Th??s??? its t????s w??? “?n c?nst?nt hi?h ?l??t” ??t?? US ?n? C?n??i?n w??shi?s ??ss?? th????h th? T?iw?n St??it, th?i? s?c?n? j?int ??ss??? in tw? m?nths.

Th? USS R????l P???lt?, ?n A?l?i?h B??k?-cl?ss ??st?????, ?n? th? R???l C?n??i?n N?v?’s H?li??x-cl?ss ??i??t? HMCS Ott?w? c?n??ct?? ? “???tin?” t??nsit th????h th? st??it ?n W??n?s???, th? US N?v? s?i?.

“T????s in th? th??t?? ??m?in ?n c?nst?nt hi?h ?l??t, ?n? will ??s?l?t?l? ???t?ct n?ti?n?l s?v???i?nt? ?n? s?c??it? ?s w?ll ?s ???i?n?l ???c? ?n? st??ilit?,” S?ni?? C?l?n?l Shi Yi, ? s??k?sm?n ??? Chin?’s E?st??n Th??t?? C?mm?n?, s?i? in ? st?t?m?nt.

Shi sl?mm?? th? l?t?st t??nsit ?s ? “???lic h???” ?n? s?i? its n?v?l ?n? ?i? ???c?s h?? “t??il?? th?i? ?nti?? c???s?.”

Th? shi?s’ ??ss??? c?m?s ??t?? tw? w??shi?s ??l?n?in? t? th? US ?n? C?n??? s?il?? th????h th? n????w w?t??w?? s?????tin? T?iw?n ?n? m?inl?n? Chin? ?n S??t?m??? 9.

Th? Unit?? St?t?s ?n? its W?st??n ?lli?s h?v? inc???s?? “??????m ?? n?vi??ti?n” c??ssin?s ?? n?v?l v?ss?ls ??th ?? th? T?iw?n St??it ?n? th? ?is??t?? S??th Chin? S??, t? ??in???c? th?t ??th ??? int??n?ti?n?l w?t??w??s, ?n???in? B?ijin?.

Th? S?v?nth Fl??t s?i? in ? st?t?m?nt th? t??nsit h?? ???n m??? in ?cc????nc? with int??n?ti?n?l l?w ?n? “th????h ? c???i??? in th? St??it th?t is ????n? th? t???it??i?l s?? ?? ?n? c??st?l St?t?.”

“C??????ti?n lik? this ?????s?nts th? c?nt???i?c? ?? ??? ??????ch t? ? s?c??? ?n? ???s?????s ???i?n wh??? ?i?c???t ?n? shi?s ?? ?ll n?ti?ns m?? ?l?, s?il ?n? ?????t? ?n?wh??? int??n?ti?n?l l?w ?ll?ws.”

T?iw?n’s ????ns? minist?? s?i? Th??s??? it w?s m?nit??in? th? ??ss??? ?n W??n?s??? ni?ht, ??t ????? th?t “th? sit??ti?n w?s n??m?l.”

Chin?, which cl?ims T?iw?n ?s its ?wn t???it??? t? ?? s?iz?? ?n? ???, h?s st????? ?? milit??? ?n? ??litic?l ???ss??? ?n th? s?l?-??l?? isl?n? ?s ??l?ti?ns h?v? ?l?n??? in ??c?nt ????s.

In S??t?m???, Chin? s?nt in 103 ?l?n?s ????n? T?iw?n within ? 24-h??? ???i??, which T?i??i ??sc?i??? ?s “? ??c?nt hi?h.”

T?i??i s?i? th?t it h?? ??t?ct?? ?n ?ns??ci?i?? n?m??? ?? Chin?s? w???l?n?s ????n? th? isl?n? ????n? 0850 GMT ?n Th??s???, ?? which 20 c??ss?? th? m??i?n lin? ?? th? T?iw?n St??it ?n? ?nt???? its c?nt??l, n??th, ?n? s??thw?st ?i? ????ns? i??nti?ic?ti?n z?n?.

Th? ?i?c???t ?ls? c?n??ct?? ? “j?int c?m??t ??t??l” with Chin?s? n?v?l v?ss?ls, th? ????ns? minist?? s?i?, ???in? th?t it w?s m?nit??in? th? sit??ti?n with its ?wn ?i?c???t, shi?s, ?n? l?n?-??s?? missil? s?st?ms.