Beijing says US warship illegally entered waters in South China Sea, Washington rejects claim as ‘false’

China’s military says it monitored and drove away a US destroyer that had illegally entered waters around the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea.

In a statement, Beijing said the USS Milius — a guided-missile destroyer — had entered China’s territorial waters without permission on Thursday.

But the US was quick to reject the claim as “false”.

“The USS Milius is conducting routine operations in the South China Sea and was not expelled,” a statement from the US Navy 7th Fleet said. 

“The United States will continue to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows.”

Earlier, Chinese government spokesman Tian Junli claimed that Beijing was safeguarding “national sovereignty” after USS Milius had intruded into China’s territorial waters, undermining peace and stability in the busy waterway.

“[We] organised sea and air forces to track and monitor [the ship], in accordance with the law and warned it to leave,” Mr Tian said in a statement.

“The theatre forces will maintain a high state of alert at all times and take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and security and peace and stability in the South China Sea.”

Tensions between the US and China have been growing in the area over recent months.

The US has been shoring-up alliances in the Asia-Pacific, seeking to counter China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, as Beijing seeks to advance its territorial claims.

And the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have overlapping maritime claims in the South China Sea.

While asserting their claims in the South China Sea, Chinese authorities in recent years have built artificial islands, including some with military facilities and runways.

Regional nations have also accused Chinese vessels of harassing their fishing boats.

Wires/ABC