The US Navy has released video of a tense standoff in the Taiwan Strait, where a Chinese warship crossed in front of a US destroyer and came dangerously close to colliding. The incident happened on Saturday, June 3, 2023, when the USS Chung-Hoon, a destroyer; and the Canadian frigate HSMC Montreal were making a “routine” transit through the strait that separates Taiwan from mainland China.
A video released by the US Navy late Sunday shows a Chinese warship sailing through the Chung-Hoon Strait in calm waters. Chung-Hoon doesn’t change course. A voice in English is heard, apparently broadcasting a radio message from a Chinese ship warning of “attempts to restrict freedom of navigation”.
Why do you care?
The Taiwan Strait is a sensitive and strategic waterway that has been a flashpoint for tensions between China and the United States. China claims Taiwan as its own territory and is increasing its military and political pressure on the island, which has its own democratically elected government.
The United States does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but is its main security ally and arms supplier. The US also conducts regular naval and air patrols in the region to enforce its right to freedom of navigation and challenge China’s extensive territorial claims.
The US military said the Chinese ship’s maneuver was “dangerous” and “unprofessional” and could have caused an accident or miscalculation. China has not directly commented on US criticism of the clash, but its military reprimanded the US and Canada for “deliberately provoking risk” with joint cruises.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense called China’s actions a “provocation” and said it was the shared responsibility of free and democratic countries to maintain peace and stability in the strait.
What will be next?
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between China and the United States over a range of issues, including trade, human rights, cyber security and Taiwan. On May 26, 2023, a Chinese fighter jet made an “unnecessarily aggressive” maneuver near a US military aircraft over the South China Sea in international airspace, according to the US.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will attend a security conference in Singapore this weekend, where he is expected to address China’s growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.
However, Chinese Defense Minister General Li Shangfu will not meet Austin at the conference, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. The US has said it seeks open lines of communication with China’s military, but has also warned it will continue to defend its interests and allies in the region.
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