US warships sail in China-claimed waters, putting trade talks at risk
The US regularly sends vessels through the waters to assert its right to sail in what it considers international waters
Hong Kong — Two US warships sailed through waters claimed by China in the South China Sea, an action that could infuriate Beijing as a new round of trade talks gets underway ahead of a looming deadline. The guided-missile destroyers travelled within 12 nautical miles of Mischief Reef in the disputed Spratly Islands, Reuters reported, citing an unidentified US official. The reef is one of seven artificial structures that China has built by reclaiming land, and which the US alleges the Chinese have militarised. The sail-by comes as US trade representative Robert Lighthizer leads a group of administration officials to Beijing, the latest high-profile effort to resolve the two countries’ trade dispute before March 1 — when the Trump administration says it will more than double tariffs on $200bn of Chinese goods if a deal hasn’t been reached. China claims as territory more than 80% of the South China Sea. Five other countries, including Vietnam and the Philippines, have competing claims....
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