A South China Sea war could erupt at any moment, says expert (Image: GETTY)
A US Navy warship colliding with a Chinese vessel could spark the beginning of a South China Sea war, warns James Holmes, Chair of Maritime Strategy at the Naval War College in Rhode Island. Although the prospect sounds hypothetical, a similar event took place in 2001 when a Chinese fighter jet slammed unto a US Navy EP-3 surveillance plane. Mr Holmes said the incident sparked “a diplomatic crisis between the Chinese Communist Party leadership and the newly installed administration of President George W. Bush.”
He continued: “This aerial encounter furnished advance warning of what might happen on the surface below.”
Last week, another close encounter took place that sparked new tensions between the two nations.
A People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Type 052C destroyer cut across the bow of US destroyer, USS Decateur.
The incident took place when the Decateur made a close pass by Gaven Reef in the South China Sea.
