The U.S. Navy has conducted a freedom-of-navigation operation in the South China Sea, U.S. officials said Wednesday, according to the Wall Street Journal.
This would be the first such military patrol since October, the first under the Trump administration.
The patrol by the guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey sends a message to China about the U.S.’s opposition to its military buildup in the South China Sea, which is disputed territory.
Up until now President Trump seemed to be turning away, balking on his complaints about China building a “military fortress” in favor of cooperating with the country to oppose North Korean aggression.
Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis would not comment on the operation.
“We operate in the Asia-Pacific region on a daily basis, including in the South China Sea,” he said, adding to that the U.S. operates “in accordance with international law.”
