PLA guards against US ship sailing through Taiwan Straits

This image released by the US Navy shows the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold (front), Republic of Singapore Navy’s RSS Supreme (left) and RSS Endurance (right) participating in a PHOTOEX during Exercise Pacific Griffin 2017, off the coast of Guam, Aug 28, 2017. (BENJAMIN A LEWIS / US NAVY / AFP)

BEIJING – The Chinese military has monitored and guarded against a United States guided-missile destroyer that sailed across the Taiwan Straits on Tuesday, the People's Liberation Army said on Wednesday.

The US' frequent provocations and posturing fully indicated that it's a buster of the peace and stability and a security risk maker across the Taiwan Straits.

Senior Colonel Shi Yi, Spokesman, PLA Eastern Theater Command

"The guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold sailed through the Taiwan Straits on July 19 and publicly hyped the incident," Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesman for the PLA Eastern Theater Command, said in a statement. 

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"The theater command organized naval and air forces to track, monitor and guard against it during the passage."

Continued the spokesman: "The US' frequent provocations and posturing fully indicated that it's a buster of the peace and stability and a security risk maker across the Taiwan Straits."

The theater command will remain on high alert and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security, and peace and stability in the sea, he added.

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On July 13, the USS Benfold illegally trespassed into Chinese territorial waters off Xisha Islands in the South China Sea and was dispelled by Chinese military, according to the PLA.