Tensions flared Wednesday between China and the Netherlands after a confrontation between a Dutch frigate and the Chinese navy off the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea.

Senior Captain Zhai Shichen, spokesperson for the Chinese navy’s Southern Theater Command, said in a statement that naval and air forces used “necessary measures” — including warnings and electronic jamming — after the HNLMS De Ruyter allegedly “illegally intruded” near the Paracel Islands and launched shipborne helicopters into Chinese airspace.

He also accused the Dutch side of “seriously” undermining stability in the South China Sea and urged it to “immediately stop its infringement and provocative actions.”

#world