China has protested against US warships that entered the South China Sea and embarked on a planned " freedom of navigation " operation near the Paracel Islands , a territory that is also shared by Cambodia and Vietnam . The U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Higgins guided-missile destroyer and the Antietam, a guided-missile cruiser, came within 12 nautical miles of the Paracel Islands, among a string of islets, reefs and shoals over which China has territorial disputes with its neighbors. The Chinese government issued its " firm opposition " to the US operation , which came after Washington extended its invitation to China to participate in annual naval exercises .
China has protested against US warships that entered the South China Sea and embarked on a planned " freedom of navigation " operation near the Paracel Islands , a territory that is also shared by Cambodia and Vietnam . The Chinese government issued its " firm opposition " to the US operation , which came after Washington extended its invitation to China to participate in annual naval exercises .