US warship sailing through Taiwan Strait is ‘provocative’, says China

American officials, however, say it is part of routine military drill

Taiwan’s defence ministry forces monitored the warship’s passage and observed nothing out of the ordinary, officials said (US Coast Guard)

China has called a US warship that sailed through the contentious Taiwan Strait part of a “provocative act”, even as US officials confirmed that it was part of a routine military drill.

The missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson from the Arleigh Burke-class was carrying out a “routine” transit through the Strait on Saturday, said the US Navy’s 7th fleet.

Passage of the warship was monitored by the Eastern Theatre Command of China’s People’s Liberation Army, following which it called it a “provocative act”.

Nicholas Lingo, the 7th Fleet’s spokesperson, said: “The ship’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

“The United States military flies, sails, and operates anywhere international law allows,” he added.

Washington’s claims on the warship were confirmed by Taiwan’s defence ministry, which said that the warship moved in a northerly direction through the Strait.

Taiwan’s defence ministry forces monitored the warship’s passage and observed nothing out of the ordinary, officials said.

This was the first sail in Taiwan Strait since November, in contrast to last year, when US naval ships were seen transiting through the area once a month roughly.

This comes amid Taiwan’s fears of an advanced move from China to capture the self-governed Island nation, bolstered by Russia’s boisterous invasion of Ukraine, which is on its fourth day.

Authorities and people in Taiwan are concerned that Beijing can replicate its ally Russia’s territorial tussle, with some describing it as the “worst case scenario” for the self-governing island that China considers part of its territory.

However, no unusual Chinese movements have been reported so far.