China claimed that the ship named "USS Gabrielle Giffords" "illegally entered" the area known as the "Second Thomas Shoal", while the US argued that the ship's navigation was "routine activity in international waters".
In a statement, the Southern Front Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army claimed that the US warship "seriously violated China's sovereignty and security" by entering the region "without authorisation".
"The US action is contrary to international law and the basic norms governing international relations," the statement claimed: