U.S. releases video of ‘unsafe’ manoeuvre by Chinese warship in Taiwan Strait

The incident, exclusively captured by Global News on June 3 aboard the HMCS Montreal, was just the latest aggressive military move from Beijing in the South China Sea.

The United States Navy has released a new video showing an up-close angle of an “unsafe” manoeuvre performed by a Chinese warship in the Taiwan Strait this weekend.

The incident, first captured by Global News on June 3 aboard the HMCS Montreal, was just the latest aggressive military move from Beijing in the South China Sea.

American destroyer USS Chung-Hoon and frigate HMCS Montreal were conducting a so-called “freedom of navigation” transit of the strait between Taiwan and mainland China.

China claims the democratic self-governing island of Taiwan as part of its own territory, and similarly claims the strait is part of its exclusive economic zone, while the U.S. and its allies regularly sail through and fly over the passage to emphasize that the waters are international.

In the video released Monday, a Chinese warship can clearly be seen sailing across the path of the Chung-Hoon in calm waters. A voice can be heard in English, apparently sending a radio message to the Chinese ship, warning against “attempts to limit freedom of navigation,” though the exact wording is unclear because of wind noise.

The Chung-Hoon ultimately needed to alter course and slow down to avoid a crash with the ship, which at one point was 150 yards away. The U.S. Navy called the manoeuvre “unsafe.”

The Chinese ship did not attempt a similar manoeuvre on HMCS Montreal, which was sailing behind the American destroyer.

“Chung-Hoon and Montreal’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the combined U.S.-Canadian commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said.