Chinese warship nearly collides with US vessel in Taiwan Strait, Beijing defends move

Amid the rising tensions on the Taiwan Strait, a Chinese warship carried out what the US military called an “unsafe maritime interaction”. The incident took place on Saturday after the Chinese Navy Ship maneuvered in an “unsafe manner” and reached within 150 yards of the US missile destroyer named USS Chung-Hoon. This forced the US Navy Destroyer to take evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision, ABC News reported. The video of the whole ordeal was circulated online in which the Chinese navy warship can be seen approaching the US warship. 

According to the US Indo-Pacific Command, the incident took place when the American destroyer USS Chung-Hoon and the Canadian frigate HMCS Montreal were conducting a transit in the International waters of the Taiwan Strait. The body of water is crucial since it separates the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.

"During the transit, PLA(N) LUYANG III DDG 132 (PRC LY 132) executed maneuvers in an unsafe manner in the vicinity of Chung-Hoon," the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement. "The PRC LY 132 overtook Chung-Hoon on their port side and crossed their bow at 150 yards. Chung-Hoon maintained course and slowed to 10 kts to avoid a collision," the statement further reads.

The Chinese warship then went on to execute a second pass in front of the American warship’s bow. "The LY 132's closest point of approach was 150 yards and its actions violated the maritime 'Rules of the Road' of safe passage in international waters," the Indo-Pacific Command asserted. 

Chinese warships within metres of America’s USS Chung-Hoon, which was transiting Taiwan Strait amid heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing.

Chinese Defense Ministry doesn’t want US warships in the Taiwan strait. pic.twitter.com/ldNDv2XdSY

— mmatigari (@matigary) June 4, 2023

The US reaffirms its commitment to the Indo-Pacific region

Following the incident, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reaffirmed America's commitment to the  Indo-Pacifc region. "We will support our allies and partners as they defend themselves against coercion and bullying,"  Austin said on Saturday at a security conference in Singapore.  "To be clear, we do not seek conflict or confrontation, but we will not flinch in the face of bullying or coercion,” He added. The year 2023 has witnessed a rise in altercations between the US and Chinese military be it on land or air. Last month, A Chinese fighter jet crossed the path of an American reconnaissance plane after it flew in the international airspace above the South China Sea. 

China accuses US of ‘Provocation’ 

Meanwhile, following the Saturday incident, the Chinese Defense Chief, General Li Shangfu accused Washington of provocation in the region. “They are not here for innocent passage, they are here for provocation,” Li stated during a combative speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, CNN reported. Li insisted that if the US and other Western powers do not want confrontation then they should not send military assets near China. “Mind your own business,” Li asserted. “Why did all these incidents happen in areas near China, not in areas near other countries?” he added. The Chinese Defence Minister remarked that the US is “provoking bloc confrontation for self-interest”. The United States and several other Western actors have been wary of China’s growing aggression in Taiwan. The recent confrontation on the sidelines of the Shangri La Dialogue indicates how the Sino-US ties are at an all-time low.