China says US warship 'illegally intruded' in South China Sea

'Beijing's air force followed and carried out surveillance of the vessel', said a spokesperson

This handout photo from the US Navy taken on March 27, 2023 shows the US Navy's Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Milius (DDG 69) conducting operations in the South China Sea. Credit: AFP Photo/US Navy/Gregory Johnson

China condemned on Monday the "illegal" intrusion of a US warship into waters it claims in the South China Sea, after the US Navy said its guided-missile destroyer the USS Milius had sailed through the area.

"Missile destroyer USS Milius illegally intruded into the waters adjacent to the Meiji Reef in China's Nansha Islands without the approval of the Chinese government," Tian Junli, spokesman for the Chinese military's Southern Theatre Command, said in a statement, adding Beijing's air force "followed and carried out surveillance of the vessel".