The Need to Avoid Incidents at Sea

A United States defence official told CNN television network that the destroyer USS Lassen “conducted a transit” within 12 nautical miles (nm) of Subi Reef in the Spratly Islands on Tuesday morning local time.

The US claims that its action is justified as exercising freedom of navigation in waters which it does not deem as China’s territorial sea, as Subi Reef is regarded by the US as a low-tide elevation, and hence not entitled to its own territorial waters. The decision to sail the USS Lassen close to the disputed isle is no doubt due to the domestic pressures the US faced, after China started to reclaim land in the features under its control in the Spratlys.

Through the “Lassen” transit, the US intends to send a message to its allies in South-east Asia, especially the Philippines, that it is prepared to engage in a show of military force towards China. This move no doubt will encounter China’s protest, while the reaction from South-east Asia and other parts of the world will be mixed···

Read the rest at the Straits Times‘ Website