The Pentagon told media outlets on Thursday that US warships earlier this week sailed near China-controlled islands in the South China Sea, prompting a swift rebuke from China as the two countries’ leaders prepare for a high-stakes meeting on Saturday at the G20 summit. “USS Chancellorsville sailed near the Paracel islands to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law,” US Navy spokesman Commander Nathan Christensen said in a statement, according to CNN.In response, China’s foreign ministry said it has lodged “solemn representations.”
