U.S., Chinese warships narrowly prevent collision in South China Sea

Click banner for more info

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. guided missile cruiser operating in international waters in the South China Sea was forced to take evasive action last week to avoid a collision with a Chinese navy ship maneuvering nearby, the U.S. Pacific Fleet said in a statement on Friday.

The incident on December 5 involving the USS Cowpens came at a time of heightened tensions between the United States and China following Beijing’s declaration of an Air Defense Identification Zone in the East China Sea.