Chinese and American Warships Nearly Collide in Taiwan Strait

A Chinese warship reportedly came within 150 yards of a U.S. Navy destroyer in the Taiwan Strait on Saturday.

The Details: The U.S. and Canada were conducting joint exercises in the South China Sea when the Chinese ship maneuvered in an “unsafe manner,” cutting off the USS Chung Hoon, according to the U.S. Military. HMCS Montreal Commander Paul Mountford said the Chinese warned the North American ships they were in Chinese waters, despite several other countries recognizing the strait as international waters.

For Context: Taiwan, which is officially recognized by 12 countries, but has unofficial relations with many more (including the U.S. and Canada), has had particularly tense military relations with China lately. The confrontation is the second between China and the U.S. in as many weeks, as a Chinese fighter jet intercepted a U.S. spy plane over the South China Sea on May 26.

Key Quotes: Mountford said China’s maneuver was “not professional,” and “The fact this was announced over the radio prior to doing it, clearly indicated this was intentional.” People’s Liberation Army Senior Colonel Shi Yi said “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.”

How The Media Covered It: Sources across the spectrum covered the events similarly, highlighting Mountford’s eyewitness accounts reported by Global News (Lean Left bias).