南部战区新闻发言人田军里空军大校表示，7月13日，美“本福德”号导弹驱逐舰未经中国政府批准，非法闯入中国西沙领海，中国人民解放军南部战区组织海空兵力进行跟踪监视并予以警告驱离。美军行径严重侵犯中国主权和安全，严重破坏南海地区和平稳定，严重违反国际法和国际关系准则，是其大搞航行霸权制造南海军事化的又一铁证。事实再次说明，美是不折不扣的“南海安全风险制造者”“地区和平稳定破坏者”。战区部队时刻保持高度戒备状态，坚决捍卫国家主权安全和南海地区和平稳定。
BEIJING, July 13 -- "On July 13, the guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG-65) trespassed into China's territorial waters off Xisha Islands without Chinese government’s permission. The Chinese PLA Southern Theater Command organized naval and air forces to conduct tracking and monitoring on the US destroyer and warned it off," said Air Force Senior Colonel Tian Junli, spokesperson for the Chinese PLA Southern Theater Command, in a written statement on Wednesday.
The spokesperson pointed out that the US military's move has seriously violated China's sovereignty and security, severely undermined peace and stability in the South China Sea, and breached international law and norms governing international relations. This is yet another irrefutable proof of the US attempt to militarize the South China Sea through maritime hegemony.
“Facts have once again proved that the US is nothing but a ‘security risk maker in the South China Sea’ and a ‘destroyer of regional peace and stability’,” the PLA spokesperson remarked, adding that the troops of the PLA Southern Theater Command will always stay on high alert and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and security as well as peace and stability in the South China Sea.
