...American officials did not inform their Chinese counterparts as they planned the provocative maneuver, saying that to do so would have undercut their message. （美國官方沒有通知中國，因為這樣做，就降低了信息的分量）
“You don’t need to consult with any nation when you are exercising the right of freedom of navigation in international waters,” John Kirby, the State Department spokesman, said at a news conference.
Mr. Kirby said that such a challenge to what he called a questionable sovereignty claim was “one of the reasons you have a navy — to be able to exert influence and defend freedom of navigation on international waters.” （這樣的挑戰，就是為什麽你需要海軍）
