China says the US Navy Patrol of Taiwanese Strait is a security risk | New news disputes
The US Navy described its patrol as a “routine” exercise through an international navigation path.
The Chinese army accused the United States of dealing with risky behavior in the Taiwanese strait after two US naval ships crossed the international waterway.
The Chinese National Liberation Army (PLA) announced that it supervised the USS Ralph Johnson movements, a naval destroyer, and a USNS Bowditch, a research ship, while moving through the navigable path between Monday and Wednesday.
“The US Action sends the wrong signals and increases safety risks,” the Eastern Theater statement said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Army at theater at all times are on high standby and decide in defense of national sovereignty and security, as well as regional peace and stability,” said the spokesman for the Eastern Theater, Colonel Li XI.
The American Navy later confirmed the movement of two vessels through the Strait, which they described as “routine” exercises.
“Transit happened to the hallway in the Taiwanese strait, which is beyond the territorial seas of any coastal state,” said Navy commander Matthew Comer, a spokesman for the Indo-Pacific Command of the US Army.
“Within this corridor, all nations enjoy the freedom of navigation, flying and other internationally lawful use of the sea related to these freedom,” Comer said.
US Navy ships regularly carry out the free navigation exercises through Taiwanese Strait 180 KM, although the navy patrol this week was the first of its kind since US President Donald Trump took office in January.
China claims that the Taiwanese Strait is as a domestic territory, although the Law of the UN Sea “Territorial Water” at 12 nautical miles (22 km) from the coast.
The Allies also occasionally participate in similar navigation exercises through the Taiwanese strait.
The last two confirmed US Navy missions were air patrols in November and the common patrol of the strait in October by the USA -Canadian Navy ships.
Navy ships from France, the Netherlands and the Japanese Self -Defense Forces also passed through the Strait last year.
In addition to the straits in Taiwan, China also claims that the sovereignty of Taiwan is a self -managed democracy of 23 million people and regularly sends air and navy ships, and occasionally drones and balloons, in the direction of the island.
Known as the activity of the “gray zone”, these tactics are intended to intimidate Taiwan and test its defense capacity.
Since 2022, Beijing has regularly organized military exercises in the Taiwanese strait to signal his anger at Taipei to participate in a high -level meeting with US officials.
