SINGAPORE – China’s Defense Minister defended sailing a ship across the path an American destroyer, and a Canadian frigate transiting through the Taiwan Strait on Sunday. He told a group of top officials from the international defense community in Singapore that such “freedom of Navigation” patrols were a provocation for China.
In his first public international address since becoming Defense Minister in March, Li Shangfu said that China has no problem with the “innocent transit” but “we must stop attempts to use these freedom of navigation (patrols), this innocent passage, to exert hegemony over navigation.”
U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said at the same forum on Saturday that Washington will not “flinch” in the face bullying or coercion from China. Austin also stated that Washington will continue to regularly sail through the Taiwan Strait, and fly over the South China Sea and South China Sea. This is done to highlight the fact these are international waters and counter Beijing’s expansive territorial claims.
A Chinese warship intercepted a U.S. guided missile destroyer, a Canadian frigate, and a U.S. guided missile destroyer on the same day as they crossed the strait that separates the self governed island of Taiwan (which China claims to be its territory) and mainland China. According to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, the Chinese ship overtook the American vessel and then veered at a distance 150 yards across its bow in a “unsafe manner.”
The U.S. also said that a Chinese J-16 fighter intercepted a U.S. Air Force surveillance aircraft in the South China Sea late last month, ” performing an unnecessarily aggression“. It flew directly in front the nose of the plane.
These and other incidents have raised concern about a possible accident that could lead an escalation of tensions between the two countries at a time where tensions are high.
Li said that the U.S., its allies and other countries were responsible for the danger and they should instead focus on “taking good care of their own territorial airspaces and waters.”
He said, “The best thing for countries to do is not close their borders around the territories of other countries. This includes naval vessels and fighter planes.” What’s the purpose of going there?” “In China, we always say to mind your own business.”
