United States Conduct Another Patrols in Mischief Reef (Panganiban Reef)

Two United States Navy warships sailed close to disputed islands in the South China Sea on Monday, freedom of navigation where China strongly against it.

According to China’s foreign ministry, the country’s navy warned the U.S. warships as they tried to assert free navigation rights in the disputed South China Sea. The ships sailed close to Mischief Reef, where China has reclaimed and construct military facilities where the Philippines occupy the neighboring Second Thomas Shoal.

Hua, speaking on behalf of the Chinese government, demanded that the U.S. “immediately stop its provocative actions.”

“The relevant actions of the U.S. warships violated Chinese sovereignty, and undermined peace, security, and order in the relevant sea areas,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Monday, South China Morning Post reported. “The Chinese side expresses strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition.”

Last week, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that the Philippines aims to finish a beaching ramp on Pag-asa Island within this year. This will facilitate the delivery of construction equipment and materials to the island and for further planned upgrades.

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative also reported, China dispatched around a hundred fishing vessels to the Spratly chain to stop the Philippines from building on another feature known as Thitu Reef. Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana in a statement Friday called on China to respect the country’s sovereignty.

In October 2018, the Chinese warship operating, what the US has called an unsafe maneuver during an encounter with the USS Decatur in the disputed South China Sea where the Chinese ship came within 40 meters of the US Navy vessel, forcing the US Navy ship to maneuver to prevent a collision.

The US Navy has conducted several patrols in recent months where China urged the U.S. to halt provocative action.