U.S. Military Sealift Vessel Harassed by Chinese Government Ships

The Chinese claim a U.S. government vessel violated international and Chinese laws.

Five Chinese vessels aggressively maneuvered near while following the USNS IMPECCABLE in the South China Sea. The U.S. oceanographic ship was 70 miles south of Hainan Island when it was approached by Chinese vessels. The incident occurred last weekend.

A Pentagon spokesperson said the U.S. government views the maneuvers by the Chinese as a violation of international law, and that it has the rights and safety of lawful users of the sea. The Chinese say the U.S. are in grave contravention of the facts and have operating in a totally unacceptable manner to China. Chinese security experts say the US is everywhere on the world’s oceans and these types of incidents might very well continue as the Chinese navy expands its seas of operations.

The incident started when 5 Chinese ships surrounded the USNS IMPECCABLE. Two of the ships got within 50 feet of the US ship. The Chinese ships included a naval intelligence ship, a marine fisheries patrol vessel, an oceanographic ship and two small trawlers. The U.S. seamen used fire hoses, but the Chinese disrobed and their ship continued to within 25 feet as it tried to pickup acoustic cables being towed by the US vessel.

The Chinese ships dropped wood in front of the US ship and two other Chinese ships stopped directly in its path forcing it to stop. The US master had used bridge to bridge communications to inform the Chinese that it was leaving the area and to provide it a safe path to navigate.

The island of Hainan is the host to a Chinese naval base that houses ballistic missile submarines. The Chinese Embassy in Washington DC denied their vessels violated international law and any maritime rules.

The White House said the US vessel’s activities were in international waters and the US will continue to operate in these waters.

The incident follows an earlier harassment by a Chinese vessel on March 4th when the USNS VICTORIOUS was buzzed by Chinese military aircraft as many as 12 times. The U.S. Department of Defense warned the Chinese to act responsibly and refrain from provocative activities at sea and in the air against unarmed US ships.