긴장 고조되고 있는 남중국해..."미-중 군함 근접 일촉즉발" VIDEO: Chinese Warship In ‘Unsafe”Encounter With US Destroyer, Amid Rising US-China Tensions

Chinese Warship In ‘Unsafe”Encounter With US Destroyer, Amid Rising US-China Tensions

(CNN) — A US Navy ship had an “unsafe” interaction with a Chinese warship Sunday while the US vessel was conducting a freedom of navigation operation near the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, causing the US ship to maneuver “to prevent a collision,” according to US defense officials.

US Navy Destroyer USS Decatur/Taiwan News

긴장 고조되고 있는 남중국해..."미-중 군함 근접 일촉즉발"  게이븐 암초에서 40ｍ까지 접근    중국 함정이 최근 남중국해에서 미국 구축함에 40ｍ까지 접근하며 충돌 직전에 이를 정도의 일촉즉발 상황을 연출한 것으로 나타났다. 미국 CNN방송은 미 해군 구축함 디케이터함이 지난달 30일 '항행의 자유' 작전의 일환으로 스프래틀리 군도(중국명 난사군도)의 게이븐 암초(중국명 난쉰자오) 인근 해역을 항해하던 중 중국 군함이 접근했다고 2일 보도했다. 중국이 남중국해에 점유중인 게이븐 암초[EPA=연합뉴스] 찰스 브라운 미 태평양함대 대변인은 "당시 중국의 뤼양(旅洋)급 구축함 한척이 남중국해 게이븐 암초 부근에서 위험하고 전문성이 떨어지는 기동으로 미국 구축함 디케이터에 접근했다"고 밝혔다. 브라운 대변인은 문제의 중국 함정이 디케이터함을 따라다니며 해당 해역을 떠날 것을 경고하는 등 점점 더 공격적인 기동을 수행했다고 전했다. 그는 이어 중국 군함이 디케이터함 앞 45야드(41ｍ)까지 접근함에 따라 '충돌 방지' 기동을 해야 했을 정도였다고 강조했다. 디케이터함은 당시 남중국해 스프래틀리 군도 해역을 10시간 동안 항행하면서 중국이 점유 중인 전초기지인 게이븐 암초와 존슨 암초(중국명 츠과자오)의 12해리(약 22km) 이내 해역을 근접 항행했다. 브라운 대변인은 이런 일촉즉발의 상황에도 "미국은 국제법이 허용하는 곳이면 어디서나 계속 비행·항해하고 작전할 것"이라고 강조했다. 칼 슈스터 전 미 해군 대령은 "이런 근접조우의 경우 진로 변경을 하려면 함장에게는 불과 수초의 시간만 주어질 뿐"이라며 "매우 위험한 기동으로 배들이 1천야드(900여ｍ)만 접근해도 함장들은 매우 긴장하게 된다"고 말했다. 이번 일촉즉발의 상황이 미국과 중국간 긴장이 무역전쟁에 이어 군사 분야에서도 고조되는 가운데 발생했다는 점에서 주목된다. 그간 항행의 자유 작전을 수행하는 미 군함에 중국 함정이 접근하더라도 비교적 안전한 것으로 여겨졌었다. 미국 정부는 지난 21일 러시아로부터 방공시스템을 구매한 중국군에 대한 제재를 발표한데 이어 B-52 전략폭격기 2대를 남중국해 상공에서 발진시켜 훈련을 실시하기도 했다. 중국 역시 미국의 제재에 맞서 해군사령관의 방미 계획을 취소한데 이어 이달중 베이징에서 열릴 예정인 미중 외교·안보대화도 취소했다. 이에 따라 제임스 매티스 미 국방장관의 베이징 방문계획도 취소됐다고 미 국방부가 확인했다. 중국은 또 이달로 예정돼 있던 미 해군 강습상륙함 와스프함의 홍콩 입항을 거부하기도 했다. 미중간 냉각관계가 전방위로 확대되고 있는 셈이다. 도널드 트럼프 미국 대통령은 최근 시진핑(習近平) 중국 국가주석과의 개인적 우정에 종지부를 찍기도 했다. 트럼프 대통령은 지난달 26일 뉴욕 기자회견에서 "그는 더이상 내 친구가 아닐지 모른다. 하지만 아마도 그가 나를 존경할 것이라고 생각한다"라고 말했다. (서울=연합뉴스) 정주호 기자

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“A (People’s Republic of China) Luyang destroyer approached USS Decatur in an unsafe and unprofessional maneuver in the vicinity of Gaven Reef in the South China Sea,” Capt. Charles Brown, a spokesman for US Pacific Fleet, told CNN in a statement confirming the incident.

Brown said the Chinese warship “conducted a series of increasingly aggressive maneuvers accompanied by warnings for the Decatur to depart the area.”

He added that the Chinese destroyer “approached within 45 yards” of the front of the US ship, adding that the Decatur “maneuvered to prevent a collision.”

“Our forces will continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows,” he said.

The close encounter would give the ship’s captains just seconds to react to any course change, said Carl Schuster, a former US Navy captain who spent 12 years at sea.

“This was very dangerous. Captains get very nervous when ships get closer than 1,000 yards,” said Schuster, now a Hawaii Pacific University professor.

Chinese warship came within 45 yards of USS Decatur in South China Sea/abcnews.go.com

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Minute rudder and engine speed corrections are needed to keep ships separated and even a slight miscalculation can result in a collision, he said.

This incident comes amid heightened US-China tensions over a broad range of issues. Chinese ships often shadow US vessels during freedom of navigation operations but those interactions are usually considered safe.

uss decatur south china sea Chinese Warship In UnsafeEncounter With US Destroyer, Amid Rising US China Tensions

The USS Decatur had an “unsafe” interaction with a Chinese warship Sunday while the US vessel was conducting a “freedom of navigation” operation near the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. (Photo Credit: (US Navy)

CNN reported Sunday the USS Decatur sailed within 12 nautical miles of Gaven and Johnson reefs in the Spratly Islands as part of what the US Navy calls freedom of navigation operations, which are meant to enforce the right of free passage in international waters.

While the US Navy conducts such freedom of navigation operations all over the world, China is particularly sensitive about the operations when they come near areas where the Chinese government has built islands and established military facilities on disputed maritime features.

“The US has been repeatedly sending warships to the islands and the adjacent waters in the South China Sea, which has seriously threatened China’s sovereignty and safety,” Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said Tuesday.

“The Chinese military will resolutely perform its defense duties and continue to take all necessary measures to safeguard our sovereignty and the regional peace and stability,” Wu said.

Schuster said China seems to be adopting “a more aggressive response policy” to US ships, emboldened in part by last year’s collisions between US destroyers and merchant ships in the Asia-Pacific.

Naval academics theorize the collisions that killed 16 US sailors have the Chinese navy doubting US seamanship skills and giving it confidence to “intimidate” US ship captains, Schuster said.

Mattis cancels trip to Beijing

In a sign of the increasing tensions, late last week US Secretary of Defense James Mattis pulled out of a planned visit to Beijing later in October, two US officials told CNN.

Mattis had originally planned to visit the Chinese capital to meet with senior Chinese officials to discuss security issues. The last-minute cancellation of the unannounced trip has not been publicly confirmed by the Pentagon.

Tensions have been growing across multiple fronts, from the Trump administration’s tariffs on Chinese goods to new sanctions announced against the Chinese military.

At a news conference last week, President Donald Trump said his often-mentioned friendship with Chinese leader Xi Jinping may have come to an end.

“He may not be a friend of mine anymore. But I think he probably respects me,” Trump said.

Those comments came after Trump accused China of meddling in the upcoming US elections.

Speaking at the United Nations Security Council last week Trump said the Chinese government was attempting to interfere in the 2018 midterm elections to tilt them against the Republicans.

“They do not want me or us to win because I am the first president ever to challenge China on trade,” Trump said. “We are winning on trade. We are winning at every level. We don’t want them to meddle or interfere in our upcoming election.”

The Trump administration imposed 10% tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods on September 24, in addition to the trade measures already in place. The Chinese government responded in kind, with 5% to 10% tariffs on $60 billion in US goods.

Following the new round of tariffs, Beijing called off planned trade talks with Washington, leaving no end in sight for the trade war.

“How could you negotiate with someone when he puts a knife on your neck?” Chinese deputy trade negotiator Wang Shouwen said at a news conference last Tuesday, saying that resuming the talks would be difficult.

In another sign of the growing tensions, the Chinese government canceled a port visit to Hong Kong by the USS Wasp, a US Navy amphibious assault ship, last week.

It followed closely the decision by the US government to sanction Chinese military figures over their purchases of Russian combat aircraft and missile systems.

Correction: This article has been updated to reflect that the “unsafe” interaction took place near the Spratly Islands.

https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2018/10/01/china-warship-near-us-destroyer/

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