United States has sent a navy warship near an artificial island in the disputed South China Sea as part of the first freedom of navigation operation under President Donald Trump.<br/><br/>A move likely to provoke Beijing. The guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey conducted a patrol within 20 kilometres of Mischeef Reef, part of the Spratly Islands over which several countries, including China, have competing claims. The exercise is the first since October.<br/><br/>Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis said, we operate in the Asia-Pacific region on a daily basis, including in the South China Sea. We operate in accordance with international law.<br/><br/>China claims almost all of the South China Sea. But Taiwan, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam have rival claims over the region.