A US defense official has said the US Navy sent a guided-missile destroyer within 12 nautical miles of artificial islands built by China in the South China Sea. Foreign Minister Wang Yi says China is now verifying whether the US warship went within the 12-nautical mile zone.
He's quoted as saying "if true, China advise the US to think again and before acting, not act blindly or make trouble out of nothing". Earlier, spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, Zhu Haiquan said the US should "refrain from saying or doing anything provocative, and act responsibly in maintaining regional peace and stability." He said "freedom of navigation and overflight should not be used as excuse to flex muscle and undermine other countries' sovereignty and security".
