Beijing Demands Answers from Washington on Nuclear Submarine Collision

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China has asked the United States to provide clarifications on the incident of a US nuclear submarine colliding with an unidentified object in international waters in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

During a press briefing held on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian expressed Beijing's deep concern over the accident. The Pentagon had confirmed the incident and the US media revealed that it had taken place in the South China Sea.

He said that the United States and other countries involved "should inform the relevant details including the location, purpose of this navigation, details of the accident and what did the submarine run into and whether any nuclear leakage has taken place and whether the local maritime environment was harmed."

The Spokesperson held the United States responsible for concealing the details of the incident and the delay in making any clarifications in this regard over several days.

Last week, the US Navy announced that one of its nuclear-powered submarines collided with an unidentified object while on patrol in international waters in the South China Sea.

It also confirmed that there were no fatal injuries and pointed out that the submarine was damaged by the accident, but could still operate. 

Last February, the Chinese navy demanded a US warship to leave a disputed area in the China Sea, in an unprecedented incident between the two countries since Biden's inauguration as President of the United States of America.

It is worth noting that Joe Biden had started his term with a tangible escalation against China, which saw USS John McCain, a US navy destroyer, transiting the Taiwan strait.