German warship to sail through South China Sea

A German warship is set to sail throughthe South China Sea even as the United States warned China against the use of force in the disputed waters.

Watch:

Add WION as a Preferred Source

The United States hailed the move for a "rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific".

Germany said its warship will not pass within the 12-nautical-mile limit of China. It is the first German warship to cross the South China Sea since 2002.

"The international community has a vital stake in the preservation of an open maritime order,” the US State Department said. However, China said “they cannot take it as an excuse to undermine the sovereignty and security of littoral countries” while saying that countries enjoyed freedom of navigation in international waters.

US State Department had earlier expressed "concern" over China's new legislation which allowed its coast guard to use weapons against foreign ships.

"We remind the PRC and all whose forces operate in the South China Sea that responsible maritime forces act with professionalism and restraint in the exercise of their authorities," State Department spokesman Ned Price had said.

The US has repeatedly rejected China's claims in the strategic waterway. President Biden during hisfirst phone call to China's President Xi had asserted the importance of "a free and open Indo-Pacific."

Last month, a French nuclear-propelled submarine and warship patrolled the South China Sea under the freedom of navigation rule.