Inside the Close Naval Encounters in the South China Sea
- Chinese-U.S. ship interactions provide potential flash points
- Beijing sees U.S. patrols near disputed islands as provocative
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The voice on the radio in the middle of the South China Sea follows a familiar script for Captain Eric Anduze, who helms the USS Blue Ridge. It’s China on the phone.
“They’ll contact us and they’ll go -- ‘U.S. government vessel, this is Chinese Navy vessel’ number whatever -- ‘we will maintain five miles from you and escort you as you make your transit,”’ Anduze said, describing the English-speaking voice from a rival Chinese warship.