World Signal

On August 13, 2025, Chinese military authorities reported that they had tracked and forced the U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG-76) to leave waters near Scarborough Shoal—known in China as Huangyan Island—located in the South China Sea. Beijing stated that the ship entered without permission, marking the first recorded U.S. naval maneuver in that specific area for at least six years. According to China’s Southern Theater Command, the presence of the U.S. warship was a serious breach of Chinese sovereignty and a threat to peace and stability in the region. The command vowed to maintain a high state of readiness. The U.S. Navy’s Seventh Fleet countered that the Higgins (DDG-76) was exercising internationally recognized navigation rights, in line with maritime law, and that the mission reflected Washington’s commitment to keeping sea routes open. American officials added that Beijing’s objections would not alter their course of action. Two da...