US warship’s Taiwan passage undermined peace and stability: Chinese military
- People’s Liberation Army denounces ‘provocations and meddling’ after USS Barry conducts ‘routine’ transit
- US Navy ships often pass through the Taiwan Strait, with the US insisting it is part of international waters but drawing angry responses from Beijing
In a statement on Thursday, Zhang said the Chinese military had followed and monitored the guided-missile destroyer USS Barry when it conducted what the US Navy described as a “routine Taiwan Strait transit”.
“The US has frequently sent wrong signals to ‘Taiwan independence’ forces and seriously undermined peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” he was quoted by state news agency Xinhua as saying. Beijing considers Taiwan a renegade province that must be united with mainland China, by force if necessary.
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Zhang urged the US to stop “provocations and meddling” over Taiwan and vowed to defend China’s territory as well as peace and stability in the strait.
US Navy ships regularly pass through the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. Whereas Beijing says passage through the strait by foreign vessels violates its sovereignty, the US insists the strait is part of international waters and its operations are in line with international law.
