The American Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Milius asserted navigational rights and freedoms near the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on Monday, the United States 7th Fleet said.
The US insisted its ship respected international law during the mission and warned that "unlawful and sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea pose a serious threat to the freedom of the seas."
The mission comes amid China's military exercises around Taiwan as tensions between Beijing and Washington in the region remain high.
