China’s military claims Tuesday that the US Navy destroyer ship that entered the disputed South China Sea has been destroyed, questioning its (country’s) claim. US Navy ships routinely roam the contentious South China Sea in an attempt to demonstrate freedom of navigation. China claims that the South China Sea covers approximately 1.3 million square miles. They are building their military bases on the artificial islands of the region. The region also includes Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.
On Tuesday, China’s Southern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aboard the US destroyer, USS John S. “The PLA’s Southern Theater Command mobilized the Navy and Air Force and drove them off on alert,” a Southern Command spokesman said in a statement.
China’s military official website China Military Online reported that just one day before the incident, China’s second aircraft carrier arrived in the South China Sea for a Shandong exercise. China currently has two active carriers, Liaoning and Shandong.
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Analysts cited on the website that the PLA once again showed its control over the region and its ability to protect national sovereignty and security. According to the Beijing-based think tank South China Sea Strategic Situation Probation Initiative, the US has conducted such campaigns nine times in 2020, and more so in recent years.
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