China says it drove away US destroyer that sailed near disputed Paracel Islands

A US destroyer sailed near the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea on Wednesday, drawing an angry reaction from Beijing, which said its military had "driven away" the ship after it illegally entering territorial waters.

The United States regularly carries out what it calls Freedom of Navigation Operations in the South China Sea challenging what it says are restrictions on innocent passage imposed by China and other claimants.

The US Navy said the USS Benfold "asserted navigational rights and freedoms in the South China Sea near the Paracel Islands, consistent with international law."