November 22, 2019

Two US Navy vessels, littoral combat ship Gabrielle Giffords and the destroyer Wayne E. Meyer, trespassed into the adjacent sea area of the Nansha Islands and the territorial waters of the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea on Wednesday and Thursday. The Gabrielle Giffords sailed within 12 nautical miles of the Meiji Reef. The Chinese navy and air force tracked and monitored the two vessels, verified them and warned them to leave.

This is the latest US move to increase military interference and show off its muscle in the South China Sea. It is also part of its continuing provocation against China's sovereignty in the area. 

The US military has made two tactical changes. First, this was the first time that a US littoral combat ship carried out such a task. Previously, US warships would pass by the South China Sea to show off their muscle after performing other tasks. But this time, the littoral combat ship may have come just to conduct the mission. Littoral combat ships are more flexible compared to traditional destroyers. Second, the two vessels trespassed into the Nansha Islands and Xisha Islands at the same time. They generally went to one area in the past.

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