China has lodged solemn representations with the United States after a U.S. destroyer intruded into China's territorial waters in the South China Sea on Tuesday.
The Chafee, a guided missile destroyer, entered China's territorial sea off the Xisha Islands on Tuesday and conducted a so-called "freedom of navigation" operation, without the permission of the Chinese government, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said Wednesday.
"China sent military vessels and planes to investigate and identify the U.S. military ship and warned it to leave," Hua said at a regular news briefing.
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