China Intercepts U.S. Destroyer Near Scarborough Shoal; Tensions Rise in South China Sea.

This morning, China’s Navy intercepted the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Higgins (DDG-76) after it entered waters near Huangyan Island (Scarborough Shoal), which Beijing claims as sovereign territory. The U.S. maintains that its operations were conducted in accordance with international law.

According to the Chinese Southern Theatre Command, the vessel’s presence violated China’s territorial sovereignty and posed a threat to regional stability. This marks a second high-profile maritime confrontation for the U.S. in the past month, following the July 23 interception of the USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) by the Iranian Navy in the Gulf of Oman.

Both incidents underscore rising tensions over maritime territorial claims and freedom of navigation in strategically important waterways.

Sources: Reuters, USNI News