Chinese ship maneuvered in ‘unsafe manner’ near US destroyer in Taiwan Strait, military says

A Chinese Navy ship maneuvered in an “unsafe manner” near a U.S. Navy destroyer in the Taiwan Strait, according to the U.S. military.

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said on Saturday that guided-missile destroyer USS Chung Hoon and Royal Canadian Navy Halifax-class frigate HMCS Montreal were conducting “a routine south to north” transit of the Taiwan Strait “through waters where high seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply.” 

During the transit, the Chinese ship “executed maneuvers in an unsafe manner in the vicinity of Chung-Hoon,” the Indo-Pacific Command said, overtaking the U.S. destroyer on one side, crossing its bow and prompting the vessel to slow to avoid a collision. 

“The LY 132’s closest point of approach was 150 yards and its actions violated the maritime ‘Rules of the Road’ of safe passage in international waters,” U.S. military officials asserted.