(VOVworld)- The US Navy on Tuesday sent the destroyer the USS William P. Lawrence to the 12 nautical mile zone near Fiery Cross Reef in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago. China is currently conducting land reclamation and illegal construction on the Reef.

US destroyer USS William P.Lawrence (Photo: navy.mill)

US Defense Department spokesman Bill Urban said that the destroyer’s maritime-freedom operation aims to "challenge excessive maritime claims" in the East Sea by a number of involved parties. He added "these excessive maritime claims are inconsistent with international law as reflected in the Law of the Sea Convention in that they purport to restrict the navigation rights that the United States and all states are entitled to exercise.

Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Hai Binh repeated the country’s stance in respecting the right of harmless travel in line with international law, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982. He urged countries to make active and practical contributions to maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea and to respect international law.