The USS Milius, a guided-missile destroyer of the US Navy's 7th Fleet, has sailed near a disputed island in the South China Sea. China has fortified the island with military infrastructure to establish territorial claims on the region, while Vietnam, Taiwan, and the Philippines also claim it.
The sailing comes as the Chinese military conducts a three-day show of force around Taiwan in response to the Taiwanese President's brief visit to the US. The US Navy's statement defended the freedom of navigation operation (FONOP), which upholds the right of vessels of any nation to operate in the area, including those close to the internationally recognized limit of 12 nautical miles. The US and China have conflicting interpretations of the Law of the Sea Convention regarding territorial rights.