China has accused the United States of stirring up trouble by sending two US destroyer ships near the disputed South China Sea islands. Beijing has claimed that the guided-missile destroyers USS Spruance and USS Preble sailed near the Spratly Islands on Monday. On the other hand, the US justifies its action saying, the operations are conducted following international law.

During a press briefing, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said, the US is “determined to stir up trouble in the South China Sea, create tension and undermine peace”. She also appealed to the United States to cease such “provocative actions” with immediate effect.

US Navy has justified their action, Commander Clay Doss, a spokesman for the US Navy's 7th Fleet said, the operation was carried out “to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law”.

Doss also added, “All operations are designed in accordance with international law and demonstrate that the United States will fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows, that is true in the South China Sea as in other places around the globe”.



The move has angered China, as it happened at a time when the US and China, are engaged in a trade war and are working on a deal ahead of 1st March deadline, when US tariffs on 200 billion dollar worth of Chinese imports are expected to increase to 25 percent from 10 percent.

In the middle of January this year, the US and British warships have conducted their first joint military exercises in the South China Sea, at a time when Beijing started to built bases and airstrips on the South China islands.

In late September, the USS Decatur also sailed within 12 nautical miles of Gaven and Johnson reefs in the Spratly Islands as part of a freedom of navigation operation. During the operation, a Chinese destroyer came within 45 yards of the US warship, forcing it to maneuver in order to avoid a possible collision.

China asserts all the South China Sea as its territorial waters, while Taiwan, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam also claims to have parts in the water. The US and its allies send planes and warships near South China Sea islands time to time avoiding the claims of China and to reinforce their right under the international law to pass through the waters, thereby angering China.

