The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) deployed the supervisory and aircraft to the tail of the US warship sailing through the narrow Straits which divided the land and Taiwan on Tuesday morning.
It was the first passage through the Taiwan Strait after President Xi Jinping and his US colleague Joe Biden held the video summit earlier this month, and where the President of China warned Biden who encouraged Taiwan’s independence to “play with fire”.
Arleig Burke-Class Missile Destroyer USS Travel Milius through the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday is a routine transit, the word Fleet seven in a statement.
“Arleigh Burke-Class Destruction Missile USS Milius transit Taiwan Strait routine November 23 through international waters in accordance with international law,” Lieutenant Nicholas Lingo from the seventh Fleet US said in a statement.
“The transit of the ship through the Taiwan Strait shows US commitment to indo-Pacific free and open. The United States military is flying, sailing, and operating wherever international law allows,” Lingo added.
US warships regularly conducted exercises in the Strait, almost always triggered an angry response from Beijing, who claimed Taiwan, self-ruled democracy, and surrounding waters as their own territory.
The East Theater Command Pla issued a statement saying it had deployed ships and airplanes to follow the US ship.
“This step by the US creates security risks and damages regional stability. Theater forces will take all necessary steps to explicitly fight all threats and provocations, and expressly maintain national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” said Colonel Shi Yi spokesman said.
In Beijing, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs echoed Yi’s view.
“The US warship has repeatedly exhibited their strength and made provocations in the Taiwan Strait with the guise of freedom of navigation. This is not a promise of freedom and openness, but intentional disorders and regional peace destruction and stability,” Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at the direction of the Ministry.
“The US must immediately correct its mistake, stop provoking problems and playing with fire across the border, and plays a constructive role for peace and regional stability,” he added.
China has installed a repeat air force mission to the Taiwan Air Defense Identification Zone (Adiz) over the past year, provoking anger in Taipei.
British warships, Canada, France and Australia all make hallways through the Taiwan Strait in recent years, triggering protests from China.
“Nine was carried out in 2019 followed by 15 by 2020. So far there have been 11 years, including USS Milius Crossing,” AFP news agency reported, citing Collin Koh, a research at the International Study School in Singapore, which saved the transit database The US stated through the Strait.