The captain of the U.S. warship that sailed through disputed territory in the South China Sea says their conversations with Chinese sailors who tailed them actually turned cordial over pizza, halloween, missed families, and other mundane things that sailors talk about when boredom sets in.

The USS Lassen sailed toward Subi Reef in the Spratlys in the last week of October, in what the U.S. insisted was an exercise of the freedom of navigation, passing within 12 nautical miles of waters that China was claiming as its territory.

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Commander Robert Francis Jr., who steered the destroyer, describes their encounter with Chinese sailors as friendly, devoid of the tension that the world has imagined, no thanks to official pronouncements from both governments.

He told Reuters that the encounter was stiff at first, with the Chinese sailors fielding routine questions on what the American sailors were doing in their waters.

"Hey, you are in Chinese waters. What is your intention?," he quoted the Chinese as asking repeatedly.

With much tact in tow, the American sailors thanked the Chinese for asking, saying they were merely transiting the islands in accordance with international law.

The Chinese vessel shadowed the Lassen for 10 days that encompassed the Halloween weekend, time enough for sailors to feel the boredom that could set in at sea, especially on holidays.

Finally, they managed to engage in small talk.

"Hey, what are you guys doing this Saturday? Oh, we got pizza and wings. What are you guys eating? Oh, we're doing this. Hey, we're planning for Halloween as well," Francis said to one of the Chinese ships over the phone.

Uncharacteristically, the Chinese sailors began talking --in English-- about the families they left back home, where they were from, and what places they had visited.

At the end of their tour of duty, the Chinese sailors bade the Americans a heartwarming goodbye.

"Hey, we're not going to be with you anymore. Wish you a pleasant voyage. Hope to see you again," Francis quoted the Chinese sailors.

Such harmless, friendly conversation was in stark contrast to official pronouncements from both Beijing and Washington.

China, as expected, had called out Washington over the Lassen's sail-by, describing it as a provocation.

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter also talked tough on the issue during his visit to the area this week.

Geopolitical analysts had warned that the sail-by, done so late after too much hype, could either escalate tensions in the South China Sea, or reinforce Beijing's claims over the disputed territories.

But Commander Francis' description of the cordial encounter with Chinese sailors who shadowed his ship comes as proof that it's a different story on the ground --a story of normal friendship that may, hopefully, be replicated in future sail-bys.

TagsUS-China relations, Freedom of Navigation, spratlys, Ash Carter