U.S. Destroyer Sails Past Chinese-Held South China Sea islands. China Says It Expelled Warship

USS Benfold (DDG-65) sailing past the Paracel Islands on July 13, 2022. PLA Photo  

USNI News: U.S. Destroyer Performs South China Sea FONOP; China Says it Expelled Warship 

A U.S. guided-missile destroyer passed near a South China Sea island chain claimed by China as part of a Freedom of Navigation operation and drew complaints from Beijing. 

USS Benfold (DDG-65) sailed near the Paracel Islands early Wednesday local time in a FONOP and was monitored by the People’s Liberation Army Navy frigate Xianning (500), according to the Chinese Ministry of Defense. 

“This freedom of navigation operation (“FONOP”) upheld the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea recognized in international law by challenging the restrictions on innocent passage imposed by the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Taiwan, and Vietnam and also by challenging PRC’s claim to straight baselines enclosing the Paracel Islands,” reads a statement from U.S. 7th Fleet.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: China is saying that they warned the US warship away .... PLA releases photos of warning away trespassing US warship, shows confidence in tackling navigational hegemony (Global Times). The U.S. says they will not be intimidated .... U.S. Says It Won't Be Deterred in South China Sea After Beijing's Protests (Newsweek). 

 U.S. Destroyer Sails Past Chinese-Held South China Sea islands. China Says It Expelled Warship 

US destroyer sails past Chinese-held South China Sea islands -- AP  

US Navy destroyer performs freedom of navigation exercise in South China Sea -- CNN  

U.S. Navy draws rebuke from China after transiting South China Sea -- UPI  

US sends destroyer near Paracel Islands angering China -- Al Jazeera