BEIJING, Dec. 31 – The provocative actions of the US military vessels sent erroneous signals to the “Taiwan Independence” forces and severely jeopardized peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, said Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Chinese Defense Ministry on Thursday.
Senior Colonel Wu’s remarks came after two US guided missile destroyers USS McCain and USS Wilbur sailed through the Taiwan Strait on December 31. The PLA sent naval and air forces to conduct whole-process tracking and monitoring on the US destroyers, said Wu.
It is the second time that the US warships have sailed through the Taiwan Strait in December following the same kind act on December 18, in an attempt to flex muscles and stir up troubles, Wu pointed out.
“The US naval vessels’ provocative actions are sending erroneous signals to the “Taiwan independence” forces, seriously damaging the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and China firmly opposes it,” stated the spokesperson.
He stressed in the end that the PLA keeps high alert all the time and is ready to respond to any threats and provocations and will resolutely safeguard China’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The US destroyer, USS Mustin sailed through the Taiwan Strait on the night of October 18, and the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) sent naval and aerial forces to conduct whole-process tracking and monitoring on the US destroyer, said Senior Colonel Zhang Chunhui, spokesperson for the PLA Eastern Theater Command on December 19.
Zhang slammed the provocative behaviors by the US side, saying that in the recent period, the US sent now and then its warships to sail through the Taiwan Strait and deliberately sensationalized and raised the heat of the Taiwan Issue, desiring to stir up trouble in the Taiwan Strait and sending blatant messages to the “Taiwan Independence” forces, which gravely endangers regional peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.