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Chinese Warship Nearly Hits U.S. Destroyer in South China Sea

Came within 45 yards of a collision.

A Chinese destroyer came within 45 yards of colliding with a U.S. Navy ship Sunday in what American officials condemned as an “unsafe and unprofessional” incident. China said the U.S. should never have been traveling through the disputed waters and Beijing claimed it was forced to order one of its warships, the Decatur, to move the U.S. vessel away. A statement Monday from the U.S. Pacific Fleet criticized the Chinese response as “aggressive,” with spokesman Charlie Brown adding: “The PRC destroyer approached within 45 yards of Decatur’s bow, after which Decatur maneuvered to prevent a collision.” The incident came about a week after Chinese officials canceled military talks with the U.S. that were supposed to be held in Beijing in late September, and amid a bitter trade war between the world’s two largest economies.