Voice of America
04 Jun 2023, 10:36 GMT+10
TAIPEI - U.S. and Canadian warships sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, both navies said, in a joint mission through the sensitive waterway that separates self-ruled Taiwan from China.
China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its territory - vowing to take it one day, by force if necessary - and has in recent years ramped up military and political pressure on the island.
The U.S. 7th Fleet said its destroyer USS Chung-Hoon and the Royal Canadian Navy's HMCS Montreal were 'conducting a routine Taiwan Strait transit June 3 (local time) through waters where high-seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law.'
'Chung-Hoon and Montreal's bilateral transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the commitment of the United States and our allies and partners to a free and open Indo-Pacific.'
The Canadian military also confirmed the passage.
U.S. warships frequently sail through the strait. The last joint U.S.-Canada passage was in September 2022.
The Chinese military said it had monitored the passage.
'The relevant countries are intentionally creating trouble in the Taiwan Strait, deliberately stirring up risks, and maliciously undermining regional peace and stability,' said Senior Colonel Shi Yi, the spokesperson of China's Eastern Theatre Command.
Last week, Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong led two other ships through the 180-kilometer-wide Taiwan Strait in a show of force.
The U.S. and Canadian warships sailed through as U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his Chinese counterpart Li Shangfu participated in a defense summit in Singapore.
The United States had invited Li to meet Austin on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, but Beijing declined.
Tensions between Washington and Beijing have soared this year over issues including Taiwan and an alleged Chinese spy balloon that was shot down after it traversed the United States.
Get a daily dose of Hong Kong Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Hong Kong Herald.
More InformationWASHINGTON D.C. As part of its efforts to remove goods made by Uyghur forced labor from the U.S. supply chain, ...
LONDON, UK: In August, global production of primary aluminum hit an all-time high, with production running at an annualized rate ...
HONG KONG: This week, Ronson Chan, chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, was sentenced to five days jail for ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: In an interview with Reuters this week, U.S. commander General Chance Saltzman said the United States Space Force ...
BEIJING, China: A respected Uyghur scholar, known for her extensive work in studying Uyghur folklore and traditions, has been sentenced ...
BEIJING, China: Local authorities said a fire at the Shanjiaoshu coal mine in Guizhou province, southern China, killed 16 people ...
WASHINGTON D.C. As part of its efforts to remove goods made by Uyghur forced labor from the U.S. supply chain, ...
LONDON, UK: In August, global production of primary aluminum hit an all-time high, with production running at an annualized rate ...
NEW YORK, New York - Easing pressure on U.S. Treasury yields boost stocks on American markets Thursday. Gains however were ...
DEARBORN, Michigan: Due to concerns about its ability to operate competitively while it is locked in broader union contract negotiations, ...
OTTAWA, Canada: As part of its plan to capitalize on strong travel demand and deploy fuel-efficient airplanes, this week, Air ...
LONDON, UK: This week, Adidas' newest running shoes, the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1, went on sale for US$500. Worn ...