Another reason to watch out the sea!
US navy and Canada sailing warships through Taiwan Strait
In a recent article published by US News, the U.S. and the Canadian navies sailed two warships through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, in a challenge to China’s sweeping territorial claims.
According to the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet report update, US navy warships USS Ralph Johnson and the Royal Canadian Navy Halifax-class frigate HMCS Ottawa drifted through the strait between China and Taiwan. China claims that Taiwan is part of its territory and views transits by the US navy warships and its allies as provocative actions.
The US navy warships and the canadian navies drifted through an aisle in the Strait that is past the territorial sea of any coastal state. The US navy warships consistently sails through the strait where freedom of navigation operations is considered.
The US navy warships consistently drifted in Taiwan strait because China has stepped up its military activities around Taiwan. The US navy warships consider this as provocative actions especially when China is sending warships and warplanes on a daily basis.
In June, the US navy warships released a video in which a Chinese navy ship cut sharply across the path of an American destroyer, forcing the US navy warships vessel to slow to avoid a collision. The US navy warships also was conducting a transit with a Canadian vessel.
Spokesperson for the People Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command, Senior Col. Shi Yi said it tracked both Canada and US navy warships throughout their entire transit and its forces dealt with the situation according to law and regulation.