MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, the USS Lassen destroyer entered waters in the South China Sea near disputed territory. The US warship reportedly passed the Subi and Mischief reefs.
"The will of the Chinese troops for the protection of national security is unwavering. We will take all necessary measures to protect our own security," the statement reads.
China considers the passage of the US warship by the Spratly Islands an attempt to militarize the South China Sea, the Defense Ministry said.
"In this case the US sending of a military vessel in the waters near the Nansha islands [Spratly Islands] has become a provocation of China’s security, seriously undermined peace and stability in the region and is a dangerous attempt to militarize the South China Sea," the ministry said in a statement.
China has been constructing artificial islands on the coral reef habitats of the Spratly Islands, claiming sovereignty over the land and a 12 nautical mile zone surrounding the islands.
Washington refuses to recognize the Chinese claims of sovereignty over the man-made islands and has repeatedly voiced concerns over Beijing’s activities in the region.
