China News Service (CNS) carried an article that was originally published by Huanqiu. The article said that on March 25, the Pentagon made an announcement that the U.S. military conducted freedom of navigation operations last year challenging maritime claims by 19 countries. It was the largest number of countries challenged in more than a decade. The article quoted interviews of some legal and navy experts from China who called this freedom of navigation operation peremptory. The article said that such a freedom of navigation operation prevents other countries from challenging the U.S.’s authoritative rights on the sea. It demonstrates that the U.S. does not accept and acknowledge maritime (rights) defined by other countries. Huanqiu reported that the operation not only upset certain parties, but was also a threat to global security.
Source: China News Service, March 27, 2015
http://www.chinanews.com/mil/2015/03-27/7163030.shtml