China Accuses US Navy of Illegal Intrusion in South China Sea
China accuses the United States of "illegally intruding" into waters near the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, a hotly contested area between China and the Philippines. The Chinese military mobilized forces to track the USS Gabrielle Giffords during the operation. China claims that the U.S. is meddling in waters far from its shores and accuses America of raising regional tensions. The U.S. Navy has not yet responded to the accusation. China has staked claim to most of the reefs and outcroppings in the South China Sea, while other countries, including Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Brunei, also assert ownership in the same waters.