US warship conducts 'routine' transit through Taiwan Strait; China 'firmly opposes' move

The Chinese military on Wednesday, 27 April, condemned the United States for deploying a warship through the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday, 26 April. Army Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), in a written statement, accused the United States of "deliberately undermining" the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The statement of the Chinese military came after the guided-missile destroyer USS Sampson sailed through the Taiwan Strait on April 26. 

Army Senior Colonel Shi Yi, in the statement, asserted that the US has been frequently conducting "provocative acts" to send the wrong message to "Taiwan independence" forces." Shi Yi stressed that Beijing is "firmly opposed" to these actions carried out by the United States. The Eastern Theatre Command of China's People's Liberation Army said that their troops monitored USS Sampson's passage. The spokesperson of the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese PLA said that the US had "publicly hyped" the move. Shi Yi further noted that their armed forces remain alert to defend China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"The US has been frequently carrying out provocative acts to send wrong signals to "Taiwan Independence" forces, deliberately undermining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. China is firmly opposed to this," Army Senior Colonel Shi Yi said in the written statement.  

US announces passage of USS Sampson across Taiwan Strait 

The Chinese military issued the statement in response to the announcement of the US navy regarding the passage of the USS Sampson across Taiwan Street. The US Navy, in the statement, informed that the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Sampson conducted a routine passage across Taiwan Strait on April 26. According to the statement released by the US navy, the passage of the USS Sampson across the Taiwan Strait was according to international law. The US Navy also stressed that the transit shows the commitment of the United States to a "free and open Indo-Pacific." It is pertinent to mention here that China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, even though it has not ruled the island for decades. 

"The ship's transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military flies, sails, and operates anywhere international law allows," the US Navy announced in a statement. 

Image: AP