US warship sails close to S. China Sea island occupied by Beijing
An American warship on Sunday sailed close to a disputed island in the South China Sea occupied by Beijing, as part of an operation to demonstrate freedom of navigation in the waters, a US official said. The destroyer USS Stethem passed less than 12 nautical miles (22 kilometers) from tiny Triton Island in the Paracel Islands archipelago, which is also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam, the official told AFP. The operation, which is likely to provoke Beijing, is the second of its kind carried out by the United States since President Donald Trump took office.