BEIJING, December 4. /TASS/. The appearance of the USS Gabrielle Giffords near the Ayungin Shoal in the vicinity of the disputed Nansha islands has violated China’s sovereignty, Senior Colonel Tian Junli, spokesman for China's People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command, said.

"On December 4, the littoral combat ship Gabrielle Giffords of the US Navy without obtaining a permit from the Chinese government, entered waters near the Ayungin Shoal in the Nansha archipelago," he said in a statement. "The intentional exacerbation of tensions by the US in the South China Sea is a serious violation of China’s sovereignty and security," the military official added.

He specified that by its actions, Washington is undermining stability in the region, "seriously violating international law and the founding norms of international relations." The spokesman noted that the Chinese Navy took preventive measures, tracking the movements of the American ship.

"The US has fully demonstrated that it is the biggest threat to peace and stability in the South China Sea," the military official stressed, adding that China's People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command troops are constantly on full alert, "defending national sovereignty and security, peace and stability in the South China Sea.".