China monitors passage of US destroyer through Taiwan Strait

The Chinese People's Liberation Army said on Monday that it closely followed and monitored the passage of the United States guided-missile destroyer USS Milius through the Taiwan Strait.

Shi Yi, a spokesman for that institution, criticized the fact that the US Navy was sensationalizing the issue and warned that the troops remain on alert to defend national sovereignty, regional peace and stability in the area.

The ship sailed through the Taiwan Strait yesterday and is one of many US military incursions that China considers provocative and always lead to increased tensions.

Days ago, the army surrounded Taiwan with large-scale air-sea maneuvers and warned that they were a deterrent against foreign interference and the island's separatist aspirations.