Chinese Navy says USS Charleston illegally entered waters near Sabina Shoal — The Hindu

China’s Southern Theater Command Navy said on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, that the U.S. littoral combat ship USS Charleston entered waters near Sabina Shoal in the Spratly Islands without Beijing’s approval. This was reported by The Hindu.

Chinese Navy statement

The command called the entry illegal and said it had jeopardized maritime security. According to its statement, the Chinese Navy deployed forces to track and monitor USS Charleston in the area.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

The Chinese side also said that U.S. actions violated China’s sovereign rights and harmed regional peace and stability. The Chinese military linked these assessments to the actions of the U.S. ship in the shoal area.

Dispute over Sabina Shoal

China and the Philippines dispute sovereignty over Sabina Shoal and the entire Spratly Islands archipelago. The Philippines has a mutual defense treaty with the United States of America.