“A serious political and military provocation”, that’s the view of Beijing after a US warship sailed close to a disputed island in the South China sea. <br /><br />The USS Stethem, a guided-missile destroyer, passed within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island, part of the Paracel Islands on Sunday. <br /><br />Along with China, the archipelago is also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam. <br /><br />The US navy said the operation was conducted as part of a ‘‘freedom of navigation exercise’‘<br /><br />China responded by deploying military vessels and fighter planes. <br /><br />The incident happened only hours before Presidents’ Trump and Xi Jinping spoke on the phone. <br /><br />It is the second time in just over two months that Washington has directly challenged Beijing’s territorial claims in the South China sea. <br />The US has repeatedly warned China against its occupation and rapid expansion of bases on islands in the disputed waters. <br /><br />But Beijing insists that it is within its sovereign rights.<br />
