China on Saturday condemned the United States for sailing a guided-missile destroyer and a coast guard cutter through the Taiwan Strait, calling Washington a main "violator of peace and stability" in the 180-kilometre-wide waterway.
The US 7th Fleet on Friday announced that Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd legend-class and US Coast Guard National Security Cutter Munro had conducted routine transits through the strait earlier that day, China Daily reported.
This comes after another US guided-missile destroyer sailed through the strait in late July.
"The US constantly commits these very malign provocations, demonstrating in full that the US is the main violator of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, which creates major security risks," ministry spokesman Tan Kefei said, adding that China protests the US actions and is against any foreign meddling in its domestic affairs, which include the issue of Taiwan.
According to the spokesman, Beijing demands Washington to cease its provocations and respect the so-called one-China policy and the three US-China communiques, as well as refrain from complicating relations between the countries armed forces and undermining peace and stability in the strait.
"The PLA will remain on high alert at all times and will resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said. The Taiwan Strait is a 180-kilometre-wide strait separating the island of Taiwan and continental Asia. The strait is in international waters, however, China claims Taiwan as its own territory and regards the US Navy's presence in the area as a show of support for the island's democratic government.
( With inputs from ANI )
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