China sees itself provoked by US warships in the Taiwan Straits

Beijing China has called the passage of two US warships through the Taiwan Straits a “provocation”. The action aims at “deliberate sabotage of regional peace and stability,” said Zhao Lijian, a spokesman for the Beijing Foreign Ministryon Monday.

China demand the United States again not to further undermine the one-China principle. Washington must also respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries.

Beijing describes its claim to the democratic island republic as the one-China principle. On the other hand, Taiwan has long seen itself as independent.

Earlier on Sunday, the guided missile cruisers USS Antietam and USS Chancellorsville crossed the straits between China and Taiwan. The US Navy’s 7th Fleet tweeted that the operation “demonstrated the United States’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

Military maneuvers after Pelosi’s visit

It was the first time US forces have sent warships through the Taiwan Straits since US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.