The U.S. Navy released a video on Sunday showing a Chinese warship approaching an American destroyer in the Taiwan Strait and passing in front of it in a manner described by the U.S. Navy as "unsafe."
In the footage, a Chinese warship cuts across the path of the guided-missile destroyer, forcing it to slow down to avoid a collision. The American destroyer did not change its course.
A message in English could be heard over the radio warning the Chinese ship against "attempts to restrict freedom of navigation," but the exact meaning was unclear because of wind noise. The U.S. Navy has accused a Chinese ship of making dangerous maneuvers around an American destroyer in the Taiwan Strait, less than ten days after an aerial incident between the two countries in the region.
China did not comment directly on the U.S. criticisms regarding the incident. Taiwan's Ministry of Defense described China's actions towards both the American and Canadian ships as "provocative," stating that maintaining peace and stability in the strait is a shared responsibility of free and democratic nations. The statement added, "Any actions aimed at increasing tension and danger will not contribute to regional security," urging China to "respect the right to freedom of navigation."
The Chinese military accused the United States and Canada on Saturday of "intentionally raising risks" following a rare joint naval passage by both countries through the Taiwan Strait. The U.S. military indicated that the U.S. destroyer (Chung-Hoon) and the Canadian frigate (Montreal) were conducting a "routine" transit of the strait.
