China says US warship illegally enters its territory in South China Sea

Beijing: China said on Thursday a U.S. warship had illegally entered its territorial waters in the South China Sea, and was expelled by its forces, an assertion the United States denied, in the latest exchange of salvos over Beijing's claims in the busy waterway.

In a statement, the Chinese military's Southern Theatre Command said the USS Curtis Wilbur entered the waters near the Paracel islands without permission, adding that its ships and planes followed the US vessel and "expelled" it. It added that China opposed the U.S. action, which it said violated its sovereignty and undermined regional peace and stability.