The atmosphere has hardened between China and the US after the incident, which occurred on Saturday.
According to the US Department of Defense, the US and Canadian navies were conducting an exercise in the Taiwan Strait, which separates Taiwan from the Chinese mainland, when a Chinese warship approached a US warship.
A video released of the incident shows the Chinese warship speeding up and pulling in front of the US ship, which is forced to brake hard to avoid a collision.
According to the US, the distance between the ships was only 137 meters, which meant a high risk of collision. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin calls the maneuver “extremely dangerous” and has now given the Chinese leadership in Beijing a call to take action.
– I have spoken to China’s leaders about the importance of reining in that type of behavior. I think accidents can happen that cause things to spiral out of control, he said in a statement, reports NBC News.
Second event in a short time
The incident occurred just days after Chinese warplanes drove in front of a US warplane during an exercise over the South China Sea. The Pentagon then called it an “unnecessarily aggressive maneuver”.
– We are not looking for conflict or confrontation. But we will not stand back in the event of bullying, threats or coercion, says Lloyd Austin.
After Saturday’s incident, China’s military leadership stated in a statement that Chinese forces “handled the situation based on applicable laws and regulations.” It also states that the US presence and exercises so close to Chinese territory is a provocation.
“Concerned countries are deliberately stirring up problems and risks in the Taiwan Strait, willfully undermining regional peace and stability, and sending wrong signals to “Taiwan independence” forces,” said a spokesperson, CNN reports.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense has stated in a statement that it was China and not the United States that was the provocative party in the incident in the Taiwan Strait.