American warship illegally enters China's water

On Thursday, China's authorities revealed that an American warship had illegally entered its territorial waters in the South China Sea, according to an international report.

According to an official statement released on Thursday by the Chinese Armed Forces, the Chinese military's Southern Theater Command indicated: "USS Curtis Wilbur entered the Chinese waters near the Paracel Islands without permission."

"Its ships and planes followed the U.S. vessel," the statement added.

In response to this issue, China's authorities rejected the U.S. action, which it said violated its sovereignty and undermined regional peace and stability.

On the other hand, American Navy stated later on Thursday the USS Curtis Wilbur "affirmed navigational rights and freedoms" near the Paracel Islands, over which China, Taiwan and Vietnam all claim sovereignty.

Furthermore, the Navy explained: “The unilateral imposition of any authorization or advance-notification requirement for innocent passage is not permitted by international law."

The International report described this issue as a "massive diplomatic challenge".

Notably, the report also considered this problem as the latest salvo in the two countries’ tension and conflict over Beijing’s territorial claims in the busy waterway.