NATO Member's Warship Sends Message to China
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The British Royal Navy recently sailed a warship through the South China Sea to assert "freedom of navigation," pushing back against China's territorial claims in the strategic waterway.
Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Foreign Ministry by email with a request for comment.
Why It Matters
China claims sovereignty over the majority of islands, reefs, and other features in the South China Sea, citing what it calls "historical rights," despite an international arbitral tribunal's 2016 decision that largely dismissed these claims.
The United States and a growing number of allied navies have stepped up transits to assert the right of passage and show support for the region in response to China's increasing assertiveness.
What To Know
The HMS Spey, a Batch 2 River-class offshore patrol vessel, "conducted [a] freedom of navigation activity through the South China Sea," the United Kingdom's defense ministry wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday.
The post stressed the transit was in line with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and that it underscored London's commitment to a "free, open and stable South China Sea."
This photo, released May 17, 2025, by the United Kingdom's Permanent Joint Headquarters, shows the HMS Spey during a "freedom of navigation activity" through in the South China Sea.
This photo, released May 17, 2025, by the United Kingdom's Permanent Joint Headquarters, shows the HMS Spey during a "freedom of navigation activity" through in the South China Sea.
U.K. Permanent Joint Headquarters
China routinely condemns naval operations by countries outside the regions, saying they destabilize the region.
The U.K. has previously criticized China's behavior within the Philippines' maritime zone.
London condemned what it called "unsafe and escalatory tactics" after a December 2023 collision between China's coast guard and a Philippine supply boat on a mission to disputed Second Thomas Shoal.
Chinese water cannons damaged the vessel's engine as well as the mast of its Philippine coast guard escort, Manila said.
The Spey, along with its sister ship the HMS Tamar, has been permanently based in the Indo-Pacific since late 2021 as the U.K. sought a larger role in protecting the balance of power in the region.
The Royal Navy carried out its first "freedom of navigation" operation in the South China Sea in 2018, when it sent an amphibious assault ship through the contested Paracel Islands.
In April, the 295-foot Spey joined the annual Bersama Shield exercise, alongside forces from Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Singapore.
During the 16 days of drills, the multinational force responded to a simulated invasion of a group of Malaysian islands.
What People Are Saying
The United Kingdom Permanent Joint Headquarters: "HMS SPEY has just conducted freedom of navigation activity through the South China Sea in accordance with UNCLOS [United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea].
"This activity underlines the UK's commitment to international law and to upholding a free, open and stable South China Sea."
What Happens Next
The U.K. is likely to continue its "freedom of navigation" activities in the South China Sea and other China-claimed areas, such as the Taiwan Strait.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Alan Dershowitz: We're picking the wrong heroes
(NewsNation) — In recent months, the Trump administration has gone up against Harvard University and other Ivy League schools over on-campus protests and policies. The White House has recently frozen visa interviews with international student visa holders and has threatened to revoke the visas of Chinese students. Interviews were frozen because the agency wanted to expand social media screening and vetting. President Donald Trump said the move would determine whether foreign students being let into the country were 'troublemakers' and that he wants to ensure admitted students are those who 'love our country.' Trump administration asks Supreme Court to allow gutting of Education Department Attorney Alan Dershowitz told NewsNation's Elizabeth Vargas that a lot of politicians and progressives who have stood behind the campus protesters have egg on their face, and that it was a bad look to support them. 'We are picking our wrong heroes,' Dershowitz said. Dershowitz added the Trump administration's measure of revoking student visas and canceling visa interviews is a good preventive measure in ensuring the safety of U.S. citizens. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump announces China will restart rare earth mineral shipments to US after productive call
President Donald Trump told reporters on Air Force One Friday that Chinese President Xi Jinping had agreed to start sending rare earth minerals to the U.S. after halting the shipments in April. Trump held a gaggle on the presidential jet Friday evening, and one reporter asked him just before landing if Xi had agreed to restart the flow of rare earth minerals and magnets to the U.S. "Yes, he did," Trump replied. "We're very far advanced on the China deal." The news comes about a month and a half after China effectively halted exports of seven precious minerals, vital for assembling cars, robotics and defense systems, to the U.S. in a direct strike on America's manufacturing and defense supply chain. Liz Peek: Trump Must Stay Strong, Us Reliance On Chinese Minerals And Drugs Puts Americans At Risk Overseas deliveries of magnets stopped April 4, when new licensing rules took effect, according to The New York Times. Companies are only allowed to export rare earth materials if they obtain special export licenses, which take 45 days to receive. Read On The Fox News App The halt also threatened to undercut Trump's tariff strategy because China produces about 60% of the world's critical mineral supply and processes even more, up to 90%. Putin Says Russia Is Open To Economic Cooperation With Us On Rare Earth Minerals China's mineral halt to the U.S. Defense Department came after Beijing had already imposed sanctions on multiple U.S. military contractors late last year, according to Reuters. Chinese entities were prohibited from engaging or cooperating with them in response to an arms sale to Taiwan, the outlet reported. Trump and Xi had a lengthy call Thursday amid economic and national security friction regarding trade between the U.S. and China. Trump's 'Rare' Price For Us Military Aid To Ukraine Called 'Fair' By Zelenskyy "I just concluded a very good phone call with President Xi, of China, discussing some of the intricacies of our recently made, and agreed to, Trade Deal," Trump said Thursday in a Truth Social post. "The call lasted approximately one and a half hours and resulted in a very positive conclusion for both Countries." Trump said the conversation focused mostly on trade. The call came nearly a week after Trump condemned China for violating an initial trade agreement that the U.S. and China hashed out in May and a day after Trump said Xi was "extremely hard to make a deal with" in a Truth Social post. Fox News' Diana Stancy, Bonny Chu, Danielle Wallace, Morgan Phillips and Reuters contributed to this article source: Trump announces China will restart rare earth mineral shipments to US after productive call
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
The Surprising Impact of Trump's Tariffs On American Farmers
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. American farmers are once again caught in the crossfire of Trump's trade wars. Despite a 90-day tariff truce with China, they continue to face rising export costs for soybeans, corn and pork, along with effects from earlier retaliatory tariffs and export restrictions. The numbers tell a stark story. U.S. soybean exports to China experienced a significant decline during the height of trade tensions. According to data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), from mid-2018 to the end of 2019, retaliatory tariffs imposed by six major trading partners—Canada, China, Turkey, Mexico, the EU, and India—resulted in estimated losses of over $27 billion in U.S. agricultural exports. Soybeans alone accounted for more than 70 percent of those losses. The financial strain has left many farmers relying on taxpayer-funded bailouts. "Input costs for farmers remain a challenging factor, further compounded by ongoing uncertainty in markets," Evan Hultine, Vice President of Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB), told Newsweek. "It's hard enough to market in the weather, let alone add the volatility within the markets." Despite the economic toll, political loyalty to Trump among many farmers has remained strong. However, analysts warn the cycle of trade disruption and federal compensation is not only unsustainable but damaging to the long-term health of American agriculture. "I don't think farmers support protectionist trade policies—they support Trump for other reasons—mainly social or cultural issues—even though trade wars are bad for their bottom lines," Tad DeHaven, a policy analyst at the Cato Institute and former Senate policy adviser told Newsweek. DeHaven's analysis highlights a paradox. While Trump's trade wars have hurt farmers financially, the Trump administration sought to "buy off" the agricultural sector with billions in subsidies. "Farmers were bailed out by taxpayers in the first Trump administration," he said. "Knowing that they would likely be bailed out again, farmers were more willing to accept the economic pain." That pain, however, was significant. During Trump's first term, China—previously the largest buyer of U.S. soybeans—retaliated against U.S. tariffs with tariffs of their own. Even after a 2020 trade agreement partially restored soybean exports, the damage had been done. According to DeHaven, China, along with other trading partners, began shifting to more reliable suppliers, like Brazil and Argentina. "Rather than stabilize agricultural production, [Trump's] tariff-driven bailouts deepened dependency and inefficiency," he noted. "They introduced uncertainty and compelled importers in countries like China to source more of their ag imports from other countries." Illinois Farm Bureau/Catrina Rawson Analysts observe that Chinese importers are now turning to South America for poultry and pork and eyeing Australia for wheat, sorghum and barley. Canada and Mexico, also targeted by Trump's trade barbs, have begun diversifying their import portfolios away from the U.S. Meanwhile, U.S. farmers are being squeezed on the cost side. Tariffs on steel and aluminum have driven up the cost of farm equipment, while trade restrictions have made key inputs like fertilizer more expensive. Canada, the largest supplier of potash—a vital fertilizer ingredient—has faced barriers under Trump-era trade policies, contributing to higher input prices at home. "Increased tariffs mean reduced market access and higher costs," DeHaven said. "Trump effectively treats all imports as bad, but U.S. agriculture depends on open markets both to sell goods and buy inputs affordably." To offset the fallout from these policies, Trump's first term saw $23 billion in direct payments to farmers. And the cycle is poised to repeat. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has already announced a new $10 billion round of taxpayer-funded farm bailouts authorized in late 2024. But experts warn this model is unsustainable. "If history repeats itself, American farmers—caught once again in the crossfire of economic nationalism—will be left with fewer markets, more expensive supplies and increased reliance on federal aid," DeHaven said. "For taxpayers, the bill will be high. And for U.S. trade credibility, the cost may be even greater." Illinois Farm Bureau/Catrina Rawson On May 15, Sec. Rollins visited the UK to strengthen ties and champion U.S. farmers and ranchers. Over the next five months, she'll tour Japan, Vietnam, Brazil, Peru, Italy and India to open new markets and boost exports. USDA spokesperson Seth W. Christensen told Newsweek that Sec. Rollins top priorities are increasing access for American products in existing markets, opening new markets with strong demand for our products and making sure trading partners are treating American farmers, ranchers and producers fairly. Meanwhile, Hultine said the IFB continues to push for a five-year Farm Bill, emphasizing the need for consistent support and strategic market development both domestically and globally. DeHaven believes that the key lies in shifting away from reactionary financial relief and toward trade liberalization. He argues that rather than insulating farmers with bailouts, the government should support policies that expand trade, giving farmers greater access to global markets and reducing the cost of essential inputs like machinery, fertilizer, and herbicides. Instead, the administration's trade policies have limited market access for U.S. goods, creating challenges for the agricultural sector that it publicly champions.
