U.S. Warships Patrolling Beijing-Claimed Waters Prompt Chinese Protest
- China blasts ‘tricks’ after warships sail past disputed reefs
- Move comes as two sides prepare for negotiations in Beijing
This article is for subscribers only.
China accused the U.S. of “tricks” as two American warships sailed through waters claimed by Beijing on the eve of high-level trade talks.
China’s foreign ministry said the country’s navy “warned off” off the U.S. warships Monday as they attempted to assert free navigation rights in the disputed South China Sea. The ships sailed close by Mischief Reef, where China has built an airbase on reclaimed land, and the adjacent Second Thomas Shoal, which is occupied by the Philippines.