THIS MORNING: China Challenged the US
USS Princeton on Alert
On June 14, 2025, the USS Princeton patrolled the South China Sea when its radar picked up a Chinese Type 052D destroyer,
Jon Chong, 200 kilometers away. At 0923 hours, the Chinese ship suddenly accelerated,
turning a routine encounter into a tense standoff.
Orders from Beijing
Unknown to the Americans, the Chinese captain had received instructions:
“Intercept the Americans.
Make them blink first.”
Combat Readiness
By 0926, Princeton’s radar confirmed the threat.
In the Combat Information Center, officers tracked the enemy’s movements.
The tactical action officer remained calm, knowing the ship carried “122 vertical launch cells—
enough firepower to turn any Chinese ship into a cautionary tale.”
A Deadly Balance
The Jon Chong advanced, its YJ-18 missiles posing a serious threat. But Princeton’s SM-6 interceptors promised an edge.
It was, as the article put it, “a deadly dance—one misstep, and the South China Sea would turn red.”
