Tag Archives: Freedom of Navigation

USS John S. McCain Conducts South China Sea Freedom of Navigation Operation Past Mischief Reef; 3rd South China Sea FONOp This Year

USS John S. McCain Conducts South China Sea Freedom of Navigation Operation Past Mischief Reef; 3rd South China Sea FONOp This Year

USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) breaks away from the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) following a refueling-at-sea on June 17, 2017. US Navy Photo

A U.S. guided-missile destroyer came within 12 nautical miles of the contested Chinese installation built on an artificial island off the coast of the Philippines on Thursday, a defense official confirmed to USNI News. Read More

China Pushes Back Against SECDEF Mattis ‘Irresponsible Remarks’ on South China Sea

China Pushes Back Against SECDEF Mattis ‘Irresponsible Remarks’ on South China Sea

Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and Tomomi Inada, the minister of defense for Japan, during the International Institute for Strategic Studies 16th Asia Security Summit in Singapore on June 3, 2017. DoD Photo

Beijing has issued a rebuke to U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis and his Japanese counterpart over comments on the South China Sea that Chinese leadership has deemed, “irresponsible.” Read More

U.S. Warship Came Within 6 Miles of Chinese Artificial Island in Toughest Challenge Yet to Beijing South China Sea Claims

U.S. Warship Came Within 6 Miles of Chinese Artificial Island in Toughest Challenge Yet to Beijing South China Sea Claims

USS Dewey (DDG-105) transits the South China Sea on May 6, 2017. US Navy Photo

This post has been updated with additional information on the Dewey freedom of navigation operation.

A U.S. destroyer sailed within six nautical miles of a Chinese artificial island on Wednesday in the strongest challenge of hotly debated Chinese claims in the South China Sea, USNI News has learned. Read More

PACOM to Conduct South China Sea FONOPs 'Soon,' But Also Needs China To Help With North Korea

PACOM to Conduct South China Sea FONOPs ‘Soon,’ But Also Needs China To Help With North Korea

A naval soldier of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) views through a pair of binoculars onboard China’s first aircraft carrier Liaoning as it visits a military harbor on the South China Sea. Xinhua Photo

Complex situations in the Asia-Pacific region have forced the United States to both rely on China as a partner in deescalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula and admonish as an aggressor, with the U.S. vowing to push back with upcoming Freedom of Navigation operations in the South China Sea and pushing other countries to do the same, U.S. Pacific Command commander Adm. Harry Harris told lawmakers today. Read More