The U.S. Navy will conduct patrols within 12 nautical miles of China’s man-made islands in the South China Sea approximately twice each quarter, according to an unnamed defense official.
"We’re going to come down to about twice a quarter or a little more than that. That’s the right amount to make it regular but not a constant poke in the eye," the Pentagon official said, according to Reuters. "It meets the intent to regularly exercise our rights under international law and remind the Chinese and others about our view."
The admission comes one week after the USS Lassen destroyer sailed within 12 miles of the manmade islands near Subi and Mischief reefs in a firm challenge to China’s territorial claims around them in the South China Sea.
China responded bitterly to the patrol, shadowing the U.S. warship with two of its own vessels. China’s Foreign Ministry said the destroyer "threatened China’s sovereignty and security interests" and accused it of "illegally" entering Chinese territory.
Last Thursday, China’s naval commander warned the U.S. chief of naval operations that such "provocative acts" could lead to war.
"If the United States continues with these kinds of dangerous, provocative acts, there could well be a seriously pressing situation between frontline forces from both sides on the sea and in the air, or even a minor incident that sparks war," a statement from the Chinese Navy paraphrased Admiral Wu Shengli as saying.