The Spratly Islands are claimed by China and five other governments.
The British and Australian militaries have challenged China’s claims over the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea with a « freedom of navigation » operation.Why It Matters
China asserts sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, including the Spratly Islands, an archipelago with competing claims by Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei.
The United States, and increasingly its allies, have stepped up naval transits in disputed areas in recent years to push back against the restrictions on innocent passage imposed by claimant countries.What To Know
On Monday, British River-class offshore patrol vessel HMS Spey and Australian Hobart-class guided missile destroyer HMAS Sydney « conducted a freedom of navigation activity around the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, in accordance with UNCLOS », the United Kingdom’s Permanent Joint Headquarters wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
China had not publicly commented on the operation as of press time, but it frequently criticizes military activities by « outside countries.
