PLA Navy shadows USS Charleston near Sabina Shoal; Beijing accuses US of destabilizing South China Sea

China's Southern Theatre Command Navy reported that the USS Charleston illegally entered waters near Sabina Shoal in the Spratly Islands, prompting PLA monitoring and shadowing. This incident continues the established pattern of US freedom-of-navigation operations and Chinese protests, but the specific mention of Sabina Shoal—a site of recent Philippine-China friction—adds a new flashpoint. The claim is unilateral from Beijing; US confirmation is pending, and the strategic significance lies in potential escalation of maritime tensions in the disputed area.