Trump signs off on plan to allow US navy more freedom to patrol in South China Sea – South China Morning Post

US President Donald Trump has approved a plan to allow the US navy more freedom to carry out patrols in the South China Sea, in a move that could be seen as a challenge to Chinas maritime claims in the disputed waters, a far-right US news website reported.

US patrols challenging Beijing in South China Sea will continue, says US Navy commander

The plan, submitted to the White House in April by Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, outlines a full-year schedule of when US navy ships will sail through contested waters in the South China Sea, Breitbart News cited a US official as saying.

Under the plan, the White House will be aware of all planned freedom of navigation operations so it will not be a surprise when requests come up the chain of command, and they will be approved faster than before, the official said.

US Navy carrier group begins South China Sea patrols

The faster approval process means the operations can be conducted on a very routine, very regular basis, as part of a programme to keep the waters open, rather than as a one-off event, the person said.

It is not yet clear if the plan is part of a larger Asia-Pacific strategy or whether it is simply designed to make freedom of navigation operations more routine in the South China Sea.

China shows US its military muscle with patrol off Hong Kong waters amid rising maritime tensions

Under President Obamas administration, the Pentagon was required to send requests to conduct such operations to the National Security Council, where they would stall, the website report said.

There was a concern of doing anything that would cause anybody to get their feathers ruffled, the official was quoted as saying.

Chinas coastguard staking claim to contested reefs in South China Sea

Despite tough rhetoric during Trumps campaign trial, the US did not conduct any freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea until late May, when the USS Dewey sailed within 12 nautical miles of Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands.

Mischief Reef is controlled by mainland China, which has built airstrips in the region, but is also claimed by the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

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Trump signs off on plan to allow US navy more freedom to patrol in South China Sea - South China Morning Post