China To Step Up Air And Sea Patrols In The South China Sea After U.S. Warship Sails Near Disputed Island

© U.S. Navy

Chicago Tribune/Washington Post: China vows to step up air, sea patrols after U.S. warship sails near disputed island

BEIJING — China’s military vowed Monday to step up air and sea patrols after an American warship sailed near a disputed island in the South China Sea in what Beijing called a “serious political and military provocation.”

The spat is the latest in a series of disputes that have roiled the U.S.-China relationship in just the past few days. Experts said Washington appeared to be signaling its growing frustration with Beijing by rolling out measures including arms sales to Taiwan and sanctions against a Chinese bank doing business with North Korea.

On Sunday, the USS Stethem, a guided-missile destroyer, sailed within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island, a U.S. defense official said. The small isle in the Paracel Islands chain is claimed and controlled by China. It was the second such U.S. operation near Chinese-controlled islands in six weeks.

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WNU Editor: China already has a huge presence in the South China Sea with their bases .... stepping up a few more patrols is not going to change the situation. What will change the situation is if China becomes more forceful in enforcing their territory .... that opens a door where a lot of things can go wrong .... case in point, the Hainan Island incident.