An American warship approached the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea on Friday to assert the nation's freedom of navigation in these international waters.
This was a strategic move by the Pentagon to counter the Chinese government's claim to the seas around the island chain- amidst Beijing's increasing military power that is seen as a growing threat.
The Chinese government’s claim states that it is "not permitted by international law" for other countries to make "innocent passage" through the seas around this region.
On Wednesday, the US Marine Corps also conducted a series of exercises on the islet of Tori Shima, which consisted of practice landings and seizure demonstrations in an attempt to project power and dominance, in light of the ongoing strategic rivalry the nation maintains with global powerhouses like Beijing.