Washington DC, July 25: The United States military has on Wednesday it sent its naval warship through the strategic Taiwan strait, which separates Taipei from China, a move expected to anger Beijing in the midst of tensed relationship between China and the US.
On Wednesday, China has cautioned it was ready for a war it there was any prompting move towards Taiwan’s freedom, further accusing Washington of undermining worldwide strategic stability, denouncing its arms sale to Taipei.
The American warship, identified as the Antietam, sent to a 112-mile-wide Taiwan Strait, according to Reuters news reports.
“The (ship’s) transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Commander Clay Doss, a spokesman for the US Naval Seventh Fleet, said in an official statement.
“The U.S. Navy will continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows,” he added.
Taiwanese defence ministry stated the US vessel had transited through the Taiwan Strait showing freedom of navigation voyage and that Taiwan had also monitored the US mission.
When asked Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen about the voyage, she said, “Taiwan makes no compromise on its freedom, democracy and sovereignty.”
“The responsibility for cross-strait and regional stability lies with every party. China has the responsibility, and we will undertake ours, too,” Tsai told reporters in Taipei.
On a white paper, China’s defence ministry spokesperson Wu Qian has told a media briefing Beijing would attempt to make its efforts for a peaceful reunification with Taipei.
“If there are people who dare to try to split Taiwan from the country, China’s military will be ready to go to war to firmly safeguard national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity,” he said.