China condemns the U.S., Canada for sending warships through Taiwan Strait

October 19, 2021: -On Sunday, the Chinese military condemned the United States and Canada for each sending a warship through the Taiwan Strait in the previous week, which says they were threatening peace and stability in the region.

China claims democratically-ruled Taiwan as its territory and has mounted repeated air force missions into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) from the past year, provoking anger in Taipei.

China sent nearly 150 aircraft into the zone over four days, beginning on October 1, in a heightening of tension between Beijing and Taipei that has sparked concern internationally.

The U.S. military said the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey sailed through the narrow waterway separating Taiwan from its giant neighbor China and the Canadian frigate HMCS Winnipeg on Thursday and Friday.

“Dewey’s and Winnipeg’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the commitment of the U.S and our allies and partners to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” it added.

China’s People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theatre Command said its forces monitored the ships and “stood guard” throughout their passage.

“The U.S and Canada colluded to provoke and stirring trouble seriously jeopardizing peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait,” it said.

“Taiwan is part of Chinese territory. Theatre forces maintain a high level of alert and resolutely counter all threats and provocations.”

U.S. Navy ships have been transiting the strait monthly to the anger of Beijing, which has accused Washington of stoking regional tensions.

U.S. allies occasionally also send ships through the strait, which including Britain, in a month.

While tensions across the Taiwan Strait have surged, there has been no shooting, and Chinese aircraft have not entered Taiwanese air space, concentrating their activity in the southwestern part of the ADIZ.

While they include the Taiwanese territorial air space, the ADIZ encompasses a broader area that Taiwan monitors and patrols that acts to give it more time to respond to any threats.

On Sunday, Taiwan’s defense ministry said that three Chinese aircraft – two J-16 fighters and an anti-submarine aircraft – flew into the ADIZ again.