China blames US of ‘lack of transparency’ in submarine accident in South China Sea

China accused the United States of a "lack of transparency and responsibility" in the aftermath of a Navy submarine disaster in the South China Sea last month. Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said the US should share the full facts of the incident, which has reignited a disagreement between the two countries over the important waterway, during a press briefing.

The incident occurred on October 2, but the Navy did not notify it until five days later. The ship travelled to Guam for a damage assessment and is still there. The nuclear reactor and motor system of the submarine were not harmed, according to the Navy, AP reported. The crew suffered a modest number of moderate and minor injuries as a result of the incident. Damage to the submarine's forward part included its ballast tanks, according to USNI News. The Navy has yet not properly explained how or why the submarine collided with the seamount or revealed the extent of the submarine's damage.

“We once again urge the US to give a detailed account of the accident,” Wang Wenbin said at a press briefing, AP reported.

China asks for 'Clear Explanation'

Wang criticised the United States for its "lack of transparency and responsibility" in responding to the situation. At the press briefing, he claimed, the US has yet to provide a "clear explanation" of what the Navy nuclear submarine was doing in the area, as well as the precise location of the accident, whether it occurred in another country's exclusive economic zone or even territorial waters, whether it resulted in a nuclear leak or damaged the marine environment. On November 1, Monday, two US Navy officials speaking to AP on the condition of anonymity said the nuclear-powered USS Connecticut had collided with a seamount, or underwater mountain. 

China claims sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea, which sees trillions of dollars in annual international trade pass through. Six states claim islands, atolls, and exclusive economic zones in the sea, while the United States insists on maintaining freedom of navigation, which it enforces with regular military flights, naval patrols, and training missions throughout the region.

(With inputs from AP)

Image: AP