Tensions Rise as China Confronts U.S. Warship Near Scarborough Shoal

China's military announced on Wednesday that it had monitored and subsequently expelled the U.S. destroyer USS Higgins from the contested waters of the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. The incident underscores the ongoing territorial disputes in the region.

The Chinese military's Southern Theater Command issued a statement declaring the U.S. warship had entered the area without proper authorization from the Chinese government. This latest development highlights the fragile nature of the geopolitical situation in this strategically important waterway.

While the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and the American embassy in Beijing have yet to comment, China maintains extensive claims over the South China Sea, conflicting with the territorial assertions of several other countries, including Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

(With inputs from agencies.)