On May 27, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang stated that an “unauthorized” entry of the US Navy’s warships into China’s territorial waters had “violated the Chinese law”.
“The Xisha Islands are an inherent part of the Chinese territory,” Kang said. “The US Warships’ unauthorized entry into China’s territorial waters off the Xisha Islands again has violated the Chinese law and relevant international law, severely undermined China’s sovereignty and put in jeopardy the peace, security and sound order in relevant waters.”
Kang pointed out that Chinese Navy accomplished “identification and verification” of the US warships and “warned them off”. He stressed that China demands “immediately stop such provocation” and “will continue to take every necessary measure to safeguard its sovereignty and security”.
On May 27, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Higgins and a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Antietam sailed along the Xisha Islands near to the disputed Parcel Islands in the South China, Reuters reported.
The US Navy hasn’t confirmed the report directly, but pointed out that it is conducting routine Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPs) in the region.
On May 23, the Pentagon officially announced that China is uninvited from a major naval drill Rim of Pacific (RIMPAC) 2018 after it had once again criticized China’s “continued militarization” on May 19.
On May 18, a Chinese newspaper People’s Daily posted a video revealing that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) air force of China had carried out the first landing of the strategic bomber H-6K in the islands of the South China Sea.
According to media reports, China deployed anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles in three outposts of the South China Sea.
Trade Talks
On May 25, Xinhua reported that a US delegation headed by US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross would go to China on June 2-4 to “continue consultations” with Beijing oven economic issues.
On May 28, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin pointed out that Ross would discuss “a framework” that could turn into “binding agreements between companies,” CNBC reported.
It will be the third round of the co-called trade talks between world powers.
From May 15 to 19, a second round of “trade consultations” between the US and China was held in Washington. On May 19, the White House released a joint statement of the US and China over the trade consultations declaring that both sides had agreed the increase in the US agriculture and energy exports.
The first round of the trade talks began on May 3, when the US delegation arrived in Beijing to carry out 2-day talks with Chinese officials.
Through these negotiations both sides are trying to end up with the so-called trade war, which started in April when the sides imposed punitive tariffs each against other.
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