China Says It Drove Away Dutch Warship Near Disputed South China Sea Islands

China’s military said it used naval and air forces to drive away Dutch frigate HNLMS De Ruyter near the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea on Wednesday.

The Chinese military said the frigate had “illegally” entered the area and that helicopters launched from the vessel repeatedly entered what Beijing considers Chinese airspace.

China said it responded with voice warnings and electronic interference measures.

“We firmly oppose this and solemnly urge the Dutch side to immediately cease its infringing and provocative acts,” Zhang Shichen, spokesperson for the People’s Liberation Army Southern Theater Command, said in a statement.

The Dutch government said the frigate was operating in accordance with international law. The Dutch defence ministry did not immediately comment on the details of the incident.

Tensions continue in the South China Sea, one of the world’s busiest shipping routes. China claims almost the entire waterway, including areas also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

The HNLMS De Ruyter is currently on a five-month Indo-Pacific deployment aimed at supporting freedom of navigation and strengthening security ties with regional partners.

The vessel recently completed exercises and a port visit in Manila with Philippine forces.

Commander Rodger de Wit of the HNLMS De Ruyter said last week that a Chinese military helicopter had approached the frigate near the Philippines in a professional interaction between both sides, according to the Manila Bulletin.

This is not the first such incident involving Dutch naval forces. Two years ago, Dutch frigate HNLMS Tromp reported close approaches by Chinese fighter aircraft and helicopters during a United Nations sanctions monitoring mission in the East China Sea.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea despite a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that said Beijing’s claims were not supported under international law. China rejects the ruling.

Relations between China and the Netherlands remain tense over semiconductor restrictions and the Dutch government’s involvement in chipmaker Nexperia, which is linked to China’s Wingtech Technology.

Dutch Trade Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma is expected to visit Beijing in early July as part of a delegation that could help improve bilateral relations.

References: nltimes, Reuters