The American destroyer USS Benfold sailed through the Taiwan Strait, prompting an angry reaction from Beijing. China’s military on Wednesday accused the United States of “repeated provocations” and “peace destroyers” in the strait.
Reuters news agency said the US Seventh Fleet announced that the USS Penfold had made a routine voyage through the international waters of the Taiwan Strait “in accordance with international law”.
The United States conducts these types of operations about once a month, angering Beijing, which sees it as a signal of support for Taiwan’s democratic government. The communist authorities of the People’s Republic of China recognize the island as their private territory.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command said the Chinese navy was monitoring the US ship’s voyage and gave it a “warning”.
“Repeated provocations and the performance of the United States fully demonstrate that the United States is the destroyer of peace and stability and the maker of threats to security in the Taiwan Strait,” the Chinese press release said.
And the US Navy stressed that its destroyer “sailed along a strait passage that transcends the territorial boundaries of any country.” “The ship’s voyage through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States’ commitment to the freedom and openness of the Indo-Pacific,” he added.
The Taiwan Defense Ministry also reported the presence of the US ship, describing the situation in the strait as normal.
In recent weeks, USS Benfold has been navigating the disputed waters of the South China Sea, twice approaching islands that China considers its territory. In 2016, an international court challenged China’s territorial claims in water bodies, but Beijing did not acknowledge the ruling.
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To the article: The US Navy destroyer passed through the Taiwan Strait. Chinese army protests
