Beijing: The passage of a US warship close to a disputed island in the South China Sea was a “serious political and military provocation”, Beijing said, one that could further strain relations between the superpowers. The operation, meant to demonstrate freedom of navigation in disputed waters, came just hours before a scheduled phone call between President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. Further positive signs had followed, including an agreement in May on exporting US beef and natural gas to China. Washington has challenged annexations of South China Sea islets while advocating for a diplomatic settlement. On 25 May, the USS Dewey guided-missile destroyer sailed less than 12 nautical miles from Mischief Reef—part of the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, south of the Paracel Islands.

Source: Mint July 03, 2017 05:37 UTC