Chinese newspaper accuses Canadian press of ‘hyping up’ PLA ship’s ‘very scary’ move near Taiwan
- Chinese warship suddenly cuts in front of American destroyer in controversial waters during joint Canada-US mission, Vancouver-based outlet reports
- Global Times responds, blasting exercise by North American allies in Taiwan Strait as ‘provocative’
Global News later uploaded a video showing the movement of the Chinese ship, which American forces identified as Luyang-III DDG 132 (LY 132). US forces said the PLA ship came within 137 metres (150 yards) of the USS Chung-Hoon.
Global Times, a nationalist paper affiliated with People’s Daily, criticised the Vancouver-based television network on Sunday and called the joint mission “provocative”, adding the PLA manoeuvre was a warning against the exercise by the North American allies.
“Relevant countries are deliberately stirring up trouble and risks in the Taiwan Strait, maliciously undermining regional peace and stability and sending wrong signals to the ‘Taiwan independence’ forces,” PLA Eastern Theatre Command Senior Colonel Shi Yi was quoted as saying.
As the two warships sailed across the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, the theatre command’s forces surveilled and sent warnings in a “lawful manner”, Shi said.
Beijing regards Taiwan as a breakaway province that must be reunited with the mainland and has rejected the US claim that the Taiwan Strait should be considered international waters.