The US destroyer Ralph Johnson’s passage through the Taiwan Strait on March 17 was a “provocative” act by the US and sent the wrong signals to pro-Taiwan independence forces, the Chinese military said on Saturday.
Such an act was “very dangerous,” a Chinese military spokesman said in a statement, adding that troops had been organized to monitor the passage of the Ralph Johnson.
China says Taiwan is the most sensitive and important issue in its relationship with the US. Washington has no official diplomatic relations with Taipei, but is Taiwan’s most important international supporter and arms supplier.
On Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping told his US counterpart Joe Biden that the Taiwan issue must be handled properly to avoid a negative impact on Sino-US relations.