Reuters-China US exchange accusations over US vessel in South China Sea
November 26, 2023 2 min 340 words
这则报道揭示了中美在南海问题上的紧张关系。中国声称其军队成功驱离美国军舰，而美国则坚称其行动是合乎国际法的例行航行。南海一直是争议焦点，中国声称几乎整个南海为其领土，但2016年国际仲裁法院裁定中国主张无法律依据。中美此次交锋再次凸显了两国在地区事务上的分歧，尤其是在南海这一关键航运通道。随着菲律宾和澳大利亚进行首次联合巡逻，南海局势更显复杂。中国批评美国是南海的“安全风险创造者”，而美方则强调挑战任何国家对于海洋权益的过度主张。中美之间的紧张局势需要通过对话与协商解决，以避免激化矛盾，维护地区稳定。
China and the United States exchanged accusations at the weekend over the disputed South China Sea, after China's military said it had driven away a U.S. warship that the U.S. Navy said was on a routine freedom of navigation operation.
According to a post on the official WeChat social media account of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Southern Theatre Command on Saturday, the Chinese military deployed its naval and air forces to "track, monitor and warn away" the U.S. destroyer.
The U.S. Navy said on Sunday that the Hopper had "asserted navigational rights in the South China Sea near the Paracel Islands, consistent with international law".
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 said China's claims had no legal basis.
The Philippines and Australia began their first joint sea and air patrols in the sea on Saturday, days after Beijing accused Manila of enlisting foreign forces to patrol the South China Sea, referring to joint patrols by the Philippine and U.S. militaries.
This weekend's incident, China said, "proves that the United States is an out-and-out 'security risk creator' in the South China Sea".
Lieutenant Kristina Weidemann, deputy spokesperson for the U.S. 7th Fleet, said in an emailed statement: "The United States challenges excessive maritime claims around the world regardless of the identity of the claimant.
"Unlawful and sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea pose a serious threat to the freedom of the seas."
Earlier this month, the United States and China held talks on maritime issues, including the contested South China Sea, where the U.S. underscored concerns about what it called "dangerous and unlawful" Chinese actions, the U.S. State Department said.