China vows "necessary measures" after U.S. warship nears Huangyan Island

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saturday vowed "necessary measures" will be undertaken to safeguard the country's sovereignty after a U.S. warship entered waters surrounding Huangyan Island in the South China Sea, Xinhua reports.

When responding to a relevant question from the press, spokesperson Lu Kang confirmed that the USS Hopper, a guided missile destroyer, sailed within 12 nautical miles of the Chinese island on Wednesday evening without Chinese government permission.

According to Lu, the Chinese Navy has conducted an identification and warning process to drive the U.S. warship away.

Lu said the U.S. warship has impaired China's sovereignty and security interests, and caused a serious threat to Chinese vessels and personnel working in the area.

The spokesperson said the U.S. side's behavior has broken basic protocols of international relations, voicing China's strong dissatisfaction. "China will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard its sovereignty," he said.