China's navy accuses US ship USS Charleston of entering waters near Sabina Shoal

China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command Navy on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, accused a US naval vessel of entering waters near Sabina Shoal without approval from Beijing. Sabina Shoal is in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

The accusation was carried by the South China Morning Post (SCMP), The Hindu, Reuters and Anadolu Agency. The Chinese navy identified the vessel as the USS Charleston. It said it monitored and tracked the ship. It also said the US action was detrimental to regional peace and stability.

The Hindu and Reuters describe the USS Charleston as a US littoral combat ship.

According to the SCMP, the statement was made by Yin Gang, spokesman for the PLA Southern Theatre Command Navy. The SCMP reported that, according to Yin, the vessel entered the waters in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The newspaper quoted him as saying the ship "illegally intruded" and acted "without approval". According to the SCMP, he demanded that Washington immediately cease such activities.

Background

According to the SCMP, Chinese and Philippine coastguards clashed near Sabina Shoal last month. The Hindu reported that China and the Philippines both contest sovereignty over Sabina Shoal and the entire Spratly Islands archipelago. The Hindu also noted that the Philippines has a mutual defence treaty with the United States.

What each side says

• China (PLA Southern Theater Command Navy): The USS Charleston "illegally" entered waters around Sabina Shoal without Beijing's approval, Reuters reported. According to Reuters and The Hindu, the navy said the ship jeopardised maritime security. The Hindu also reported that the navy said the US action infringed on China's sovereign rights. The SCMP quoted spokesman Yin Gang as saying China holds "indisputable sovereignty" over the Spratly Islands. He described the US action as "detrimental to regional peace and stability", according to the SCMP.
• United States: The US Navy did not immediately respond to a request for comment, according to The Hindu. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include any US account, including whether the ship was in the area or what its mission was.
• Philippines: The reports do not include any response from the Philippine government.

What the reports do not include

The reports do not describe the ship's exact position or its distance from Sabina Shoal. They do not state whether it entered the 12-nautical-mile zone around any feature. They do not say whether the US described the transit as a freedom-of-navigation operation. The reports do not include the full text of the Chinese statement. They do not describe the Chinese forces that tracked the ship, or any interaction with it. The Anadolu Agency item reviewed is a headline only.

All accounts relay a single statement from the Chinese navy. No other party has corroborated it in the reports reviewed by Vocemundi.

Analysis

The account so far rests on one party's statement. Without a US response, it is unclear whether Washington will confirm the transit, describe it as routine navigation, or not comment. The episode follows a reported coastguard clash near the same shoal last month, which suggests the area remains a point of friction among China, the Philippines and the United States. Possible next steps could include a US statement on the ship's mission, a Philippine reaction given its defence treaty with Washington, or further Chinese statements. None of these outcomes is indicated in the reports reviewed, and each would shape how the incident is understood.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.