South China Sea latest: Trump deploys ground-breaking military equipment in threat to Xi

In move to pressure China, Washington has sent two specialised electronic warfare units to the region. With America and China increasing their presence in the region, a former US Navy officer has declared the units could be vital in deceiving Chinese military communications and missiles. Beijing has a large amount of high-powered equipment in the South China Sea but with these units, the US may well be able to defeat these advanced systems.

A former US officer told the Nikkei Asian Review: “The West has to work closely in a lot of different areas to be able to defeat these weapon systems.

“One of the ways is through technologies that can deceive the seekers, the missile seekers, on some of these weapons, so that the seeker thinks it’s going towards the aircraft carrier or a ship but it’s actually going towards a piece of water a half a mile or more away.

“This can be done. Deception.”

Tensions in the South China Sea have reached a tipping point in the region as the US sends vessels to counteract Chinese aggression.

In a bold threat to Xi Jinping, Secretary of state Mike Pompeo declared the US will not allow China to grow its naval empire in the region.

He said this week: “On Monday, for the first time, we made our policy on the South China Sea crystal clear.

“Beijing’s claims to offshore resources across most of the South China Sea are completely unlawful.

“It’s not China’s maritime empire.

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Although it could be rejected, the New York Times had reported the Trump administration was considering the proposal.

The ban is due to the imposition of the new Hong Kong security law by Xi.

In response, China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman, Hua Chunying criticised the plan if it turns out to be true.

She said: “If that is true, I think that is utterly pathetic.

“We know that some in the US are oppressing China and bullying China.

“As an independent sovereign state, China must respond to the bullying practices and we must say no, we must take reactive moves to it.”

source: express.co.uk