US Navy said that one of its destroyers had sailed close to Chinese-controlled Paracel Islands in South China Sea on Friday, asserting international freedom of navigation rights in contested waters. USS Wayne E Meyer guided-missile destroyer passed through area of Paracels east of Vietnam and South of China's Hainan Island without requesting permission from Beijing, or from Hai or Taipei, which also claim ownership of archipelago. move could add to tensions between US and China, w bogged down in a grinding trade war. Beijing pushes to expand its military reach globally.

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US Navy Ship enters Chinese waters

"USS Wayne E Meyer challenged restrictions on incent pass imposed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. It also contested China's claim to straight baselines enclosing Paracel Islands," said Commander Reann Mommsen, spokesperson for US 7th Fleet based in Japan. "With se baselines, China has attempted to claim more internal waters, territorial sea, exclusive ecomic zone, and continental shelf than it is entitled under international law." China has laid claim to nearly all of South China Sea. It has built numerous military outposts on small islands and atolls of region, angering or claimants Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

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US FOPS operation

In recent months, US military has stepped up its "freedom of navigation operations" or "FOPS" in region, irking Beijing but t sparking any direct confrontation thus far. China has effectively drawn a property line around whole of Paracels archipelago -- which it calls Xisha Islands -- to claim entire territory. But United States says that does t accord with international law on archipelagos and territorial seas. FOPS "demonstrate that United States will fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows. This is regardless of location of excessive maritime claims and regardless of current events," Mommsen said. 

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