Last year , a spate of incidents took place between Chinese and Vietnamese vessels . The US sends a naval vessel to a lagoon in the South China Sea . It claims Chinese fishing boats in the lagoon had illegally collected corals and fish . Chinese surveillance ships arrive at the lagoon and block the entry to the lagoon . Both countries claim the lagoon is ` ` an integral part '' of their territory .
The US sends a naval vessel to a lagoon in the South China Sea . It claims Chinese fishing boats in the lagoon had illegally collected corals and fish . Chinese surveillance ships arrive at the lagoon and block the entry to the lagoon . Both countries claim the lagoon is ` ` an integral part '' of their territory .