The United
States has seriously damaged peace and stability in the South China Sea after a
U.S. warship sailed near a disputed island in waters claimed by China, the
Asian
nation's defense ministry said on Monday.
The ministry
resolutely opposes the entry of U.S. warships into Chinese territory, it said
in a statement on social media.
The actions
of the United States navy seriously damaged the "political
atmosphere" around the development of military ties between the two
countries, the ministry added.
The USS
Stethem, a guided-missile destroyer, sailed within 12 nautical miles of Triton
Island, part of the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, a U.S. Defense
Department official said.
REUTERS*
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