US Navy Sends Missile Cruiser Through Taiwan Strait In Reminder To China

A U.S. warship cruised the Strait of Taiwan in defiance of earlier protests by China, which views Taiwan as a breakaway province and treats the surrounding area accordingly. The transit by USS Chancellorsville, a guided-missile cruiser, is the ninth by the U.S. Navy in the Taiwan Strait this year, including one in September.

Every time a U.S. ship transits the Taiwan Strait, China becomes upset.

USS Chancellorsville transited the strait in what the Navy described as a direct show to China that they are committed to a free and open Indo Pacific Ocean. "This demonstrates that the US Navy will continue to fly sail and operate anywhere that international law allows," Commander Reann Mommsen, spokesperson for the US 7th Fleet, was quoted as saying by Fox News.

The commander also said that all interactions between Chinese ships and aircraft were professional and routine during the transit. The United States and China are not openly involved in conflict but they don't see eye-to-eye on very many things. The United States has accused China of spying and stealing state secrets and technology to bolster their massive military. The two countries are quite capable of getting along well with each other when working towards a common goal.

USS Chancellorsville is no stranger to the media spotlight. On June 7, it came very close to a collision with a Russian destroyer in the Philippine Sea. There was some debate as to where the actual incident took place.

The Russian Navy stated that USS Chancellorsville suddenly changed its course and almost collided with the Russian ship. However, the U.S. Navy said the Russians made an "unsafe maneuver" putting the safety of the ship and the crew at risk.