Published on August 18, 2025, 1:54 PM EDT: Key Points and Summary – The U.S. Navy is forcefully denying Chinese claims that it “expelled” the American destroyer USS Higgins from waters near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.
-The incident occurred during a freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) conducted by the U.S. warship.
-While China’s Southern Theater Command claimed to have warned and driven off the vessel, a U.S. 7th Fleet spokesperson called the statement “false.”
-The Philippine Coast Guard added that the Higgins was not alone, and was shadowed by a Chinese frigate and multiple coast guard and militia vessels.
Did China “Expel” a U.S. Vessel? The Navy Is Pushing Back
The United States Navy is pushing back against claims from Beijing that Chinese forces expelled an American warship from waters near Scarborough Shoal – two small, disputed skerries in the South China Sea.
Beijing alleges that the American warship was chased away during a freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) on Wednesday, August 13.
USS Higgins, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, reportedly transited within roughly 12 nautical miles of the disputed rock islands, challenging what Washington has labeled “unlawful restrictions” imposed by China and Taiwan that require prior notification for vessels to pass through the region. The Philippines, which also claims the territory, imposes no such requirement.
The operation, which is just the second publicly confirmed South China Sea FONOP since President Donald Trump took office in January, came two days after a surprise collision between two Chinese vessels. A China Coast Guard cutter and a PLA Navy Type 052D destroyer struck each other while pursuing a Philippine Coast Guard ship some 10 nautical miles from the shoal. Video footage from the incident showed the moment the coast guard vessel collided with the destroyer’s bow.
China’s Southern Theater Command claimed it had “tracked, monitored, warned, and expelled,” the USS Higgins from its “territorial waters” around the Huangyan Dao – the name given to the shoal by Beijing.
Lt. Sarah Merrill, a spokesperson for U.S. 7th Fleet, issued a statement to CNN rejecting China’s claims.
“China’s statement about this mission is false,” the statement reads. “USS Higgins (DDG-76) conducted this FONOP in accordance with international law and then continued on to conduct normal operations.”
The spokesperson said that the operation is a product of the U.S. military’s “commitment to uphold the freedom of navigation and lawful uses of the sea as a principle,” and that the United States will continue to defend its right to “fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows.”
The Philippine Coast Guard also interjected on the matter, stating that the USS Higgins was not the only American warship in the vicinity of the shoal that day – noting that the vessel was accompanied by the USS Cincinnati. Writing on X, Philippine Coast Guard Commodore Jay Tarriela also said that a Chinese frigate shadowed the U.S. ships, alongside four Chinese coast guard cutters and six maritime militia vessels in the vicinity.
Beijing’s claims should come as no surprise. The Chinese government and military officials routinely condemn U.S. Navy operations in the region as threats to sovereignty and stability.
Under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, however, foreign ships may transit territorial waters under what’s known as “innocent passage,” as long as they do not threaten the coastal state’s peace or security.
About the Author:
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society. His latest book is The Truth Teller: RFK Jr. and the Case for a Post-Partisan Presidency.
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