US Navy accuses Chinese ship of dangerous maneuvers in Taiwan Strait

The tension does not decrease between the United States and China. The US Navy on Saturday accused a Chinese ship of “dangerously” zigzagging around an American destroyer in the Strait of Taiwanless than 10 days after an air incident between the two countries in the region.

The Chinese building “executed dangerous maneuvers near the Chung-Hoon”, an American destroyer which was sailing in the strait on Saturday, the American command said in a press release. The Chinese ship “passed the Chung-Hoon on the port side and crossed its bow at 150 meters. The Chung-Hoon maintained its course and slowed to 10 (knots) to avoid a collision,” the statement read.

The Chinese military did not mention any incident

He then “passed in front of the bow of the Chung-Hoon a second time from starboard to port at 2,000 meters” and continued to sail alongside the American destroyer which he approached within 150 meters, adds the text.

This incident took place as the USS Chung-Hoon, an Aegis destroyer part of the United States Pacific Fleet, was sailing alongside the Canadian ship HMCS Montreal in the 180 km wide Taiwan Strait which separates the self-governing island of the same name in mainland China. The Chinese military said it had monitored the passage of the two shipsbut did not mention any incidents.

Crossings in the Taiwan Strait that irritate China

“Relevant countries intentionally create trouble in the Taiwan Strait, deliberately stoke risks and maliciously undermine regional peace and stability,” said Colonel Shi Yi, spokesman for China’s Eastern Command.

American ships regularly cross the Taiwan Strait but they rarely do so accompanied by an Allied ship. The last joint American-Canadian passage dates back to September. These crossings irritate China, which considers Taiwan part of its territory and claims to have sovereign rights over the strait.

This is the second Sino-American incident in less than 10 days in the region. On May 26, a Chinese fighter pilot performed “an unwarranted aggressive maneuver” near a US reconnaissance aircraft flying over the South China Sea, US military officials said. From the perspective of a Chinese military spokesman, the US plane “deliberately burst” into a Chinese training area “to carry out reconnaissance (operations).”

20 Minutes with AFP