US Navy just trolled Global Times; China didn't get the joke — yet

US and China relations have been going through a rough patch lately and there's no sign of any improvement. With US President Donald Trump constantly criticising, condemning and calling names to China publicly, tensions between the two countries have only escalated in the past few months. Taking a jibe at China's state-run news agency, the official Twitter handle of U.S. Navy's Chief of Information slid a funny remark without saying much but conveying the message strongly.

It all started with a tweet. China's Global Times on Monday tweeted that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is closely monitoring the US bases in the Western Pacific.

"The PLA is keeping its eye on US bases in the Western Pacific. As long as the US Navy's aircraft carrier strike groups and US Marines' amphibious assault ships aren't sent out, we don't need to be overly anxious, said experts," Global Times tweeted.

Not too long after, the US Navy gave a befitting reply backed up with, well, FACTS. But the response was no ordinary one.

"Who wants to tell them?" U.S. Navy's Chief of Information tweeted along with a link to the story about the U.S. Navy carrier conducting exercises in South China Sea on Aug. 14.

The strike group led by USS Ronald Reagan had conducted flight operations and high-end maritime stability operations and exercises. "Integration with our joint partners is essential to ensuring joint force responsiveness and lethality, and maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific," U.S. Navy Commander Joshua Fagan, Task Force 70 air operations officer aboard USS Ronald Reagan, was quoted as saying by Reuters.

Netizens applaud the response

US Navy trolled Global Times and by extension China with its savage response. Netizens applauded the US Navy's witty thinking in responding to China. See some of the reactions below: