A US Navy destroyer this week sailed near the Scarborough Shoal, a disputed lagoon claimed by China in the South China Sea, US officials said on Saturday, and Beijing vowed to take “necessary measures” to protect what it said was its sovereignty. It was the latest US naval operation challenging extensive Chinese claims in the South China Sea and came even as US President Donald Trump’s administration seeks Chinese cooperation in dealing with North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs. The United States has criticized China for constructing islands and military installations in the South China Sea, saying they could be used to restrict free movement in a critical global trade route. The Philippines has sparred with China for decades over what it says is aggressive conduct at the Scarborough Shoal. The United States can take care of its own interest,” Duterte’s spokesman, Harry Roque, said on Sunday.

Source: Dhaka Tribune January 21, 2018 14:37 UTC