China condemns US as warships transit Taiwan Straits

The Chinese military resolutely opposes and condemns the United States sailing a guided-missile destroyer and a coast guard cutter through the Taiwan Straits on Friday, the Ministry of National Defense said in a statement on Saturday morning. 

On Friday, the USS Kidd and USCG Munro performed the transit, and the People's Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command had dispatched forces to follow and monitor the voyage, said Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, a spokesman of the ministry. 

Tan said the US has frequently carried out such provocative actions, which are very erroneous in nature. "This shows that the US is the biggest disrupter of peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, and the biggest security risk maker in the region," he said, adding the Chinese military resolutely opposes and condemns these actions. 

Tan stressed that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, and the Taiwan question is purely a matter of China's domestic affairs that cannot tolerate any foreign interference. 

"We urge the US to clearly recognize the situation, stop provocations, and strictly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques," he said. 

Tan also called for the US military not to create obstacles for China-US military-to-military relations and bilateral ties, and not to disrupt peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits. 

"The PLA will remain on high alert at all times and will resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said.