RT.com
04 Jun 2023, 17:43 GMT+10
A Chinese warship came within 150 yards of colliding with a US destroyer as tensions flare around Taiwan
China's foreign minister has defended the actions of its navy after it sailed a warship into the path of American and Canadian vessels conducting joint exercises in the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, saying the so-called 'freedom of navigation' patrols are an act of aggression towards Beijing.
In an address to a host of global defense officials at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Sunday, General Li Shangfu said Beijing was unconcerned by what he called "innocent passage" but that it must "prevent attempts that try to use the freedom of navigation [patrols], that innocent passage, to exercise hegemony of navigation."
Li's comments follow an incident on Saturday in which a Chinese warship reportedly came within 150 yards (137 meters) of the US destroyer USS Chung-Hoon and a Canadian vessel with which it was conducting exercises. The Chinese ship sailed into the path of the US vessel and warned it that there would be a collision if it didn't change course, according to Canada's Global News, whose reporters witnessed the near-miss.
After receiving a warning from the US destroyer, the Chinese warship altered its course at the last moment to avoid a collision, reports indicate.
Speaking at the same conference in Singapore on Saturday, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Washington would not "flinch in the face of bullying or coercion," and that it would continue to maintain a presence in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea - countering China's territorial claims by underscoring that the areas which were the source of Saturday's dispute are international waters.
Li, however, insisted that the US and its allies were responsible for an increase in tensions in the region and advised Washington to take "good care of your own territorial airspace and waters." He added: "In China we always say, 'Mind your own business.'"
In what was his first international address since becoming China's defense minister in March, Li also emphasized Beijing's position on Taiwan, calling it the "core of our core interests" and said it would never hesitate to "defend our legitimate rights and interests."
Beijing has previously expressed frustration at what it sees as Washington meddling in its affairs, particularly as it pertains to Taiwan - disputed territory over which China claims sovereignty as part of its 'One China' policy.
The United States diplomatically recognizes China's territorial rights to Taiwan but Beijing has objected to Washington providing Taipei with defense training and conducting diplomatic meetings with Taiwan's leadership.
(RT.com)
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 InformationTAIPEI, Taiwan: Taiwanese authorities are probing a Chinese-crewed cargo ship suspected of damaging an undersea communications cable...
BEIJING, China: Alibaba has made its video- and image-generating AI model, Wan 2.1, publicly available, marking a significant step...
CAPE TOWN, South Africa: An international summit on global poverty faced setbacks this week as key finance leaders skipped the G20...
BANGKOK, Thailand: Chinese authorities said they started live-fire military exercises in the Gulf of Tonkin this week, just days after...
ABOARD THE CHARLES DE GAULLE, Philippines: France's nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and its warships arrived in the Philippines over...
WOLFSBURG, Germany: Volkswagen is strengthening its push into China's electric vehicle (EV) sector by partnering with CATL, the world's...
BEIJING, China: Alibaba has made its video- and image-generating AI model, Wan 2.1, publicly available, marking a significant step...
BERLIN, Germany: Consumer sentiment in Germany has taken an unexpected turn for the worse heading into March despite forecasts predicting...
CAPE TOWN, South Africa: An international summit on global poverty faced setbacks this week as key finance leaders skipped the G20...
ATLANTA, Georgia: After two years of declining same-store sales, Home Depot finally saw a turnaround in the fourth quarter, fueled...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks rallied on Friday as economic data showed the U.S. Federal Reserve has likely tamed inflation. The...
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Federal Reserve seemingly has inflation under control with the latest econbomic data confirming little push...