Tensions Rise as U.S. Navy Confronts China's Claims in South China Sea

In a significant development, China's military reported that it monitored and drove away a U.S. destroyer near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. The U.S. Navy countered, stating that their actions were consistent with international law.

This marked the first known U.S. military operation in the shoal's waters in at least six years, a day after the Philippines accused Chinese vessels of dangerous maneuvers. China criticized the move as a violation of its sovereignty, while the U.S. defended the operation as an assertion of navigational rights.

With overlapping claims in the South China Sea by several nations, including China, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, tensions over this strategic maritime route continue to simmer. Past arbitration ruled against China's expansive claims, a decision still rejected by Beijing.

(With inputs from agencies.)