China says it deployed forces to monitor a U.S. warship it accused of entering disputed South China Sea shoal waters illegally

China’s military said it deployed forces to monitor a U.S. warship that it said had illegally entered waters surrounding a disputed shoal in the South China Sea. Reuters reported the incident based on an official statement from the Chinese military.

The development was described as the latest point of friction between the two major powers in the strategically vital waterway. The available text did not identify the U.S. vessel or provide any immediate response from American officials.