"China's territorial waters will not allow US warships to run amok!"

Released by the Ministry of Defense

On January 20, Wu Qian, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, made a statement on the US warship's unauthorized intrusion into China's Paracel territorial waters. Without the approval of the Chinese Government, the US guided-missile destroyer "Benford" illegally invaded the territorial waters and inland waters of China's Paracel Islands. Chinese the southern theater of the People's Liberation Army organized naval and air forces to track and monitor the US warships and warn them to drive away, and the Chinese army expressed strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to the US actions.

The Paracel Islands are China's inherent territory, and in accordance with the Law of the People's Republic of China on territorial waters and contiguous zones, the Chinese government promulgated the baseline of the territorial sea of the Paracel Islands in 1996 and made clear provisions on matters related to the entry of foreign warships into China's territorial waters. The US action is not at all the "freedom of navigation" it claims, but a serious provocation that violates China's sovereignty and endangers peace and stability in the South China Sea.

We demand that the US side have a clear understanding of the situation and stop provocations. China's territorial waters do not allow US warships to run amok. The Chinese armed forces will take all necessary measures to deal with all threats and provocations, resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and security, and firmly safeguard regional peace and stability.

This issue is edited by Shan Zou