By U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs | Dec. 24, 2020
SOUTH CHINA SEA - On December 24, USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) asserted navigational rights and freedoms near Vietnam in the vicinity of the
Con Dao Islands in the South China Sea. The ship conducted normal operations within
Vietnam's claimed territorial seas to
challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access and navigational freedoms consistent with international law.
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The Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOPS) is a operation that US/NATO military vessels passing through territorial seas claimed by other nations without the need to obtain official allowance from that nation.
Vietnam is of the asian countries targeted in FONOPS.
7th Fleet also addressed it will keep the routine to challenge the "excessive maritime claim".
As foreign news agencies and observers reported, the Viet government has being trying to mute this information from spreading domestically.
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