South China Sea: Beijing urges an end to ‘provocative actions’ as US warship sails near disputed waters

China’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday that it “strongly urges the US to stop such provocative actions” after Washington said one of its warships sailed near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, claimed by China, in the South China Sea.

Navigation of the waterway is one of the flashpoints in US-China relations as the world’s two biggest economic powers continued their trade tariff war.

Last week, China announced tariffs on US goods in response to a similar move by Washington.

The destroyer Preble carried out the latest operation, which the US military typically describes as a “freedom of navigation” exercise.

“Preble sailed within 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Reef to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law,” Commander Clay Doss, a spokesman for the US Seventh Fleet, said.

It was the second such US military operation in the South China Sea in the last month. On Wednesday, the chief of the US Navy said such operations drew more attention than they deserved.