US warship sails close to man-made Chinese island in disputed South China Sea

China has protested such US military manoeuvers.

A Navy official says a US warship has sailed close to a Chinese man-made island in a freedom of navigation operation in the disputed South China Sea.

An aerial photo taken though a glass window of a Philippine military plane shows the alleged on-going land reclamation by China on Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, west of Palawan, Philippines, May 11, 2015. (Reuters File Photo)

The official tells The Associated Press that Chinese vessels were in the vicinity when the USS John S. McCain sailed near the Mischief Reef Thursday. It was not immediately clear if the Chinese challenged the Americans and asked the US destroyer to leave as they have done in the past.

A Filipino security official says the Philippine military was notified by US officials of the operation aimed at challenging China’s territorial claims in the disputed waters but added that Philippine forces were not involved.

China has protested such US military manoeuvers, which President Donald Trump’s administration has continued.