China and Netherlands Clash over South China Sea Patrol

China’s military said it deployed naval and air forces to monitor and expel the Dutch frigate De Ruyter after accusing the vessel of entering waters near the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea.

Zhai Shichen, spokesman for the Chinese military’s Southern Theater Command, claimed that helicopters operating from the frigate had repeatedly taken off and “intruded into ​China's airspace”.

Beijing strongly opposed the actions, Zhai said, adding that China would defend its sovereignty and security interests.

The Dutch government rejected the accusations, stating that the frigate had been operating in accordance with international law.

According to Dutch authorities, the vessel was sailing through the South China Sea as part of a mission linked to diplomatic, security and economic interests.

The dispute marks a relatively rare public confrontation between China and the Netherlands in the region.

China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, including waters and islands also claimed by Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea had no legal basis under international law. Beijing rejected the ruling.

(reuters, bak)