China accuses US naval vessel of entering Sabina Shoal waters
- naval vessel of undermining regional stability by entering waters near Sabina Shoal in the Spratly Islands.
- A spokesperson for the People’s Liberation Army’s Southern Theater Command Navy stated that without authorization from the Chinese government, the Littoral Combat Ship USS Charleston (LCS-18) made an...
- In contrast, a representative for the Navy 7th Fleet insisted that the Charleston carried out standard activities in international waters that aligned with international law.
On October 20, China accused a U.S. naval vessel of undermining regional stability by entering waters near Sabina Shoal in the Spratly Islands. The encounter marks the first time the People’s Liberation Army Navy officially admitted that it dispatched forces to track and monitor a U.S. vessel near a feature China does not occupy, signaling a potential shift in Beijing’s maritime strategy.
The Beijing Accusation Over Sabina Shoal
A spokesperson for the People’s Liberation Army’s Southern Theater Command Navy stated that without authorization from the Chinese government, the Littoral Combat Ship USS Charleston (LCS-18) made an unlawful entry into the waters surrounding Sabina Shoal. Beijing asserts that foreign warships require prior authorization to enter its claimed territorial sea, viewing unannounced transits as a challenge to its sovereignty.
In contrast, a representative for the Navy 7th Fleet insisted that the Charleston carried out standard activities in international waters that aligned with international law. Notably, official news reports of the October 20 operation did not explicitly label the transit as a Freedom of Navigation Operation, leaving the precise legal objective of the deployment ambiguous.
The Philippines Dispute and Strategic Warnings
The encounter at Sabina Shoal occurs against a backdrop of rising friction between China and the Philippines. Following a severe clash on September 18 between a Philippine government vessel and a Chinese Coast Guard ship at the shoal, Reuters reported that at least eight tense incidents between China and the Philippines have taken place across the Luzon Strait and the South China Sea since October began.
While the United States and the Philippines regard Sabina Shoal as a low-tide elevation located within the Philippines Exclusive Economic Zone, Beijing disputes this classification. Citing a “Survey Report on the Coral Reef Ecosystem of Xianbin Jiao” published by the Ministry of Natural Resources of China in August 2024, China maintains that the feature contains at least three naturally formed cays above water at high tide, supporting claims to a territorial sea.
Future Naval Patrols and Escalation Risks
Without a shared legal framework governing military transits in disputed waters, similar close encounters are likely to recur. The deployment underscores the persistent competition between major powers in the South China Sea, where differing interpretations of international law and overlapping territorial claims continue to generate friction.
The USS Charleston operation highlights how tactical naval movements can serve as broader strategic signals amidst intensifying security cooperation between Washington and Manila. Preventing future miscalculations will depend heavily on whether both nations maintain effective military communication channels and manage maritime disagreements through established diplomatic mechanisms.