On Wednesday, the Chinese government condemned the passage of an American warship through the Taiwan Strait, accusing the United States of wanting to “destroy peace and stability” in this strategic corridor that separates the island from mainland China.
“The frequent provocations and bragging by the United States fully demonstrate that the United States is destroying peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” said Colonel Shi Yi, spokesman for the Chinese Eastern Theater Command.
The US Seventh Fleet said on Tuesday that the “USS Benfold,” an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, “made a routine transit through the Taiwan Strait in international waters.”
“The ship passed through a strait corridor beyond the territorial waters of any coastal state,” the statement said.
The Chinese colonel said that Chinese forces are always “on high alert to (resolutely) protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense said it was closely monitoring the transit of the ship and said “the situation is normal”.
Beijing sees Taiwan as part of its territory that will return to its control, even by force. In this context, the 180-kilometer strait that separates the island from mainland China is a sensitive issue.
The United States and its allies regard the Taiwan Strait as a public part of international waters. American warships have been crossing this channel almost every month since January.
In June, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that “China has sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the Taiwan Strait.”
“It is a false allegation that some countries call the Taiwan Strait ‘international waters’ in order to find an excuse to manipulate Taiwan-related issues and threaten China’s sovereignty and security,” the Chinese spokesperson said.
source: Noticias
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