China, US gear up for ruling on South China Sea claims

Hong Kong

WHEN a US guided missile destroyer sailed within 12 nautical miles of a Chinese-claimed island in the disputed South China Sea last month, it set off a volley of protests from Beijing.

"The US is challenging and provoking the new maritime order by wielding its military power," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said. China's defence ministry said that it would bolster its capabilities in the area as needed.

The resumption of US "freedom of navigation operations" in the South China Sea - with three since October after a three-year hiatus - reflects the global focus on a maritime route that ca…