US-China Tensions Mount: A Chinese naval vessel came dangerously close to a US warship during a tense incident in the South China Sea last week. The USS Cowpens, a guided missile cruiser, was forced to maneuver to avoid a collision with the Chinese ship that had crossed directly in front of it and halted, according to naval officers and defense officials. Chinas amphibious dock ship came less than 500 yards (meters) from the American warship, a defense official said. The official said the Cowpens had been in the vicinity of Chinas new aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, when the incident occurred. The stand-off ended peacefully but underscored tensions between the United States and China, which escalated after Beijing last month declared an expanded air defense identification zone in the East China Sea. Last weeks confrontation occurred in the strategic South China Sea, where Beijing has aggressively moved to push for control over territory claimed by other countries in the region. The US military has repeatedly vowed to keep operating in international waters and airspace, and has increased its presence in Southeast Asia over the past year as a counter-balance to Beijings more assertive regional stance.
Posted on: Sat, 14 Dec 2013 06:25:06 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015