China stated Saturday that its forces were “on constant high alert” after two US and Canadian ships transited the Taiwan Strait, according to a military official.
In this Aug. 27, 2021, file photo provided by U.S. Coast Guard, Legend-class U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutter Munro (WMSL 755) transits the Taiwan Strait during a routine transit with Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd (Source: AP News)
China Forces Arranged the Navy and Air Units Stand Alert
According to Senior Colonel Shi Yi of the People’s Liberation Army, the Eastern Theatre Command of China’s PLA arranged navy and air units to track their whole path and stand alert in line with rules and regulations. Shi said in a statement that the forces in the theater are on continual high alert and would fiercely preserve national sovereignty and security, as well as regional peace and stability.
Shi said that the two ships, named only “Johnson” from the United States and “Ottawa” from Canada in the statement, had “openly hyped up” their trip through the seas. Taiwan is constantly threatened by an invasion by China, which claims the self-ruled island as part of its territory that must be reclaimed, by force if necessary.
Washington acknowledges Beijing over Taipei internationally but maintains de facto contacts with democratic Taiwan and supports the island’s ability to determine its own future. The United States and its Western allies have boosted “freedom of navigation” passages of the Taiwan Strait and the disputed South China Sea by Navy boats to demonstrate that both are international waterways, infuriating Beijing.
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