Missile Destroyer Sails Near China's Vital Made Island In The South China Sea, US Navy: Unauthorized Over The Territorial Sea

Missile destroyer USS Milius (DDG-69). (Wikimedia Commons/United States Navy/Mass Communication Specialist Seman Markmen II)

JAKARTA - A destroyer of the United States Navy sailed near one of the most vital and controlled man-made islands by China in the South China Sea on Monday, on a navigational freedom mission that Beijing denounced as an illegal act.

Although the United States often performs such voyages to challenge China's territorial claims and other countries on these strategic waters, the latest voyage occurred when Beijing held war games around Taiwan.

The US Navy's 7th Fleet said the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Milius (DDG-69) was involved in a "normal operation" within 12 nautical miles of Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, which is a coral reef submerged during high tide, but where China builds airports and other facilities.

"Under general applicable international law, features such as Mischief Reef which are submerged during high tides are in natural conditions, has no right to territorial sea," the 7th Fleet said in a statement.

"The reclamation efforts of land, installations and buildings built in Mischief Reef do not change this characterization under international law," the statement continued.

Meanwhile, China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) said the US ship had "illegally" entered the waters near the reef without Chinese approval, with its troops monitoring the ship and warning it.

"China has undisputed sovereignty over the islands of the South China Sea and its surrounding maritime territory," the Southern Theater Command said.

It is known, Mischief Reef is located west of Palawan Island, Philippines.

The US 7th Fleet said it had completed its 'operation', USS Milius left the region and continued operations in the South China Sea.

Last month, China and the US argued over the movement of the same ship, which China says has entered its territorial waters in the South China Sea near the Paracel Islands.

It is known, China claims most areas that have trade traffic activity with a value of up to trillions of US dollars per year.

Apart from China, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also claim to own areas in the South China Sea.