Chinese warship passed in 'unsafe manner' near US destroyer in Taiwan Strait, military officials say

China showing it's lack of professionalism yet again.

Here's a video of the near-collision: Chinese ship approaching from the left, the US ship on the right

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdpKdl74weA

The Crossing Rule

Both International and Inland Rules state that when two power-driven vessels are crossing so as to involve risk of collision:

https://www.boatus.org/study-guide/navigation/rules/

When crossing, the vessel on the right (approaching from starboard) has the right of way.

The give-way vessel on the left (approaching from port) must take early and obvious action to avoid a collision by either stopping or altering course to starboard.

The US ship on the right has the right of way. The Chinese ship should had stopped, slowed down, and/or altered course by turning to its starboard (turn to its right)

The Chinese ship acted unprofessionally and dangerously

It looked like the Chinese vessel was trying to do a kamikaze number on the American ship.

Chinese warship passed in 'unsafe manner' near US destroyer 

so new times comes for US.

Out of the same playbook as:

Since the 1991 Gulf War, the U.S. and UK had been attacked by Iraqi air defenses while enforcing Iraqi no-fly zones.[44][45] These zones, and the attacks to enforce them, were described as illegal by the former UN Secretary General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, and the French foreign minister Hubert Vedrine.

in the sense that although technically the Taiwan Strait may be declared international waters, if [ U.S. and Canadian navies on Saturday were conducting a joint exercise in the strait, which separates the island of Taiwan and China ], then we have something akin to if the Chinese and Russian navies conducted military exercises off the coast of California.

then we have something akin to if the Chinese and Russian navies conducted military exercises off the coast of California.

That's fine. It's international waters

The US will watch for intelligence purposes, but won't interfere

That's how to handle it professionally

What ol' Jack Burton always saysToday 12:08 pm JST

President Joe Biden has said the U.S. would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.

Which was rapidly backpeddled by the Whitehouse who reiterated is recognition of the one china two systems and that Taiwan isn't an independent nation - YET !

And you ought to be taking that as an indication that what our gaff prone president really thinks.

The U.S would gladly sell more weapons to Taiwan.

Which it has done for 75 years.

Chinese message is clear

Stay out of their way or conflict will happen.

I'm sure that message will be filed in the appropriate basket.

This is happening frequently where numerous militaries are sent away with thier tail between thier legs by being forced to change course.

The navigation exercise concluded with a navigation as it always has. China's provocation is looking quite weak and can't stop it.

If you wonder why then just look how many times the USA and its allies have used weapons of mass destruction.

No need to: we see the cluster munitions, thermobarics and white phosphorus deployed by China's dog Russia.

Since the 1991 Gulf War, the U.S. and UK had been attacked by Iraqi air defenses while enforcing Iraqi no-fly zones.[44][45] These zones, and the attacks to enforce them, were described as illegal by the former UN Secretary General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, and the French foreign minister Hubert Vedrine.

If the UNSC is going to back down from enforcement of its resolutions, it shouldn't be surprise when others are not going to quite so easily back down. And there is an even stronger argument for the legality of US ships in international waters.

in the sense that although technically the Taiwan Strait may be declared international waters, if [ U.S. and Canadian navies on Saturday were conducting a joint exercise in the strait, which separates the island of Taiwan and China ], then we have something akin to if the Chinese and Russian navies conducted military exercises off the coast of California.

1) They were navigating. This is not a weapons exercise like China shamelessly did around Taiwan. 2) China and Russia do navigate around US territory. In fact they did so in January off of Hawaii.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/18/politics/russian-spy-ship-hawaii-coast/index.html

The Chinese are not going to nudge the US out of traveling in international waters any time it sees fit. That is just not going to happen and the Chinese navy, even when (not if) it is larger on a global and not just regional basis, is not going to stop the US from freedom of navigation in international waters.

Especially not in the straights of Taiwan or the S. China sea.

China's aggressive actions are raising concerns of a third world war among the international community.

We wouldn't be here if the US had different leadership.

then we have something akin to if the Chinese and Russian navies conducted military exercises off the coast of California.

Last summer the Russian and Chinese navies conducted a joint exercise off the coast of Alaska and nothing was said. The US kept tabs on the exercise by trailing it with a Coast Guard cutter and shadowing it in the air with a Coast Guard C-130. That was it. The only mention of the exercise was in the maritime press because there were notices to mariners issued before the exercise to tell ships to avoid the area. Earlier that summer the Russian navy conducted an exercise off Hawaii and again, nothing was said. In both instances the exercises were conducted in international waters so there was no violation of US territory.

in the sense that although technically the Taiwan Strait may be declared international waters,

It is not a case of some agency "technically" declaring the Taiwan Strait to be international waters. Centuries of maritime law say that all of the world seas outside of a nation's immediate territorial limit, which is currently 12 nautical miles from shore, are international waters any nation may sail. The narrowest part of the Taiwan Strait is around 100 nautical miles, leaving a channel no narrower than 76 nautical miles wide, and wider to the south, that any ship from any nation may legally navigate. The territorial seas of Taiwan and China do not overlap in the middle of the Taiwan Strait.

And if by chance they did, there are provisions in international maritime law that apply. When there is a navigable strait with overlapping territorial seas such as one finds in the Straits of Malacca, Straits of Hormuz or Japan's own Tsugaru Strait, ships of all nations must be allowed free passage.

Iam glad to see there's some that can see through the BS

The Chinese and Russians held naval exercises off Alaska and nothing was said. Likewise Russia held exercises off Hawaii and nothing was said so your example is BS. The US follows long established international maritime laws that predate the founding of the US. China chooses not to asserting territorial claims that violate international maritime law. No nation is under any obligation to do what the Chinese say just because they say it and especially so when it violates international law.

Randy JohnsonJune 5 09:44 pm JST

We wouldn't be here if the US had different leadership.

Yeah, would have been nice for you if 45 had been free to surrender abroad, huh?

What ol' Jack Burton always saysJune 5 10:47 pm JST

They weren't just sailing through tho as they were conducting a joint military exercise purposely challenging China which claims Taiwan as its territory.

So because it is "joint" now it is illegal or provocative? SMH And you are only right in that it is telling China there will be no military solution to the Taiwan question. Better start figuring out how to get along.

China throwing another tantrum. They need a nap, again. Someone needs to check if the diapers are full too.

U.S. and Canadian navies on Saturday were conducting a joint exercise in the strait, which separates the island of Taiwan and China

China needs to be more aggressive. The U.S. was only practicing for war in the Taiwan straights. China should have welcomed them.

The US aggressive actions are raising concerns of a third world war among the international community.

Times have changed. The U.S. admits being bullied by China and says it will not tolerate it. Never thought that China could bully the US. I must admit the U.S. has weakened under Biden. Who’s in charge absolutely makes a difference. China is now bullying the U.S.

It’s good for the US to see things from the other side, the receiving end of aggression. What doesn’t kill the US will make the US stronger.

Still China has a backbone and can stand up to the US. We need countries to be able to do so. Japan is an example of what happens when you don’t have a backbone.

The USN will continue to sail anywhere authorized under international law and that’s not going to change regardless of what the Chinese embassy’s designated JT spokesperson says.

It’s good for the US to see things from the other side, the receiving end of aggression. What doesn’t kill the US will make the US stronger.

You're right, but you should never think we will back down ever. Even 45 hated China.

@What ol' Jack Burton always says

The USA knows how China feels about Taiwan and yet it is definitely being provocative in more ways than just military exercises.

Yes we all need to learn how to get along.

We feel more strongly that Taiwan should survive and the CCP needs to be consigned to the dustbin of history. 75 years we have felt that way, so China is just declaring it provactive now. China needs to get along with the US by maintaining the status quo or it will cause disaster.

If ya gonna travel on international waters, follow the rules of the road (sea)

If ya don't follow the rules of the road and there's an accident, then the fault is yours to bear (just like when you're driving a car)

The rules are there to prevent accidents. If ya gonna be a baby about it, stay off the road! Nobody wants crazies on the road

if [ U.S. and Canadian navies on Saturday were conducting a joint exercise in the strait, which separates the island of Taiwan and China ], then we have something akin to if the Chinese and Russian navies conducted military exercises off the coast of California.

If they are in international waters, it is fine. Most of the water between Taiwan and China is international water. just 12nm near the land on each side are under control of the respective countries. Or is China wanting to claim the entire straight? Should the USA declare the Pacific Ocean between Guam and Hawaii or between Hawaii and California+Alaska? That's just crazy. The waters between Cuba and Florida are international. That's similar - actually closer than Taiwan and mainland China.

The 1-China agreement worked fine for decades before Xi. Xi is the person trying to change the status-quo, not the US. Xi is the aggressor here. Not Taiwan and not the US and not any other country traversing in international waters following the international rules of sailing.

China wants to take 3cm every year via bullying and hope that what they take isn't sufficient to force the others involved into violence. At some point, the other side will erupt and violence will happen. China isn't too good at reading these cut points of other cultures. The US often gets intentions wrong from potential enemies and massively over-reacts. The 2nd war in Iraq happened because the US over-reacted to intelligence from multiple sources that showed Iraq still had WMDs. Hussein was lying about having them, to keep his neighbors from attacking a weakened Iraq military. Of course, he was claiming to the US and WMD searchers that he didn't have any. The mixed messages were taken as deception ... so the US invaded again after years of trying to learn the truth and failing. Hussein was in a tough position. He needed to retain power, since losing power would mean he'd be tried and killed for 20 yrs of killing fellow Iraqis. That's the problem with dictators. When they leave office, they are killed. That makes them desperate to hold power at all costs.

The current "dictators" in that boat are in Russia, Belarus, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Central Africa, all the "-stans", Iran, China, North Korea, Myanmar, Sudan, Syria. Afghanistan and a few others ... though some are being labeled as dictatorships but clearly are not. They are just low on the freedom index.

Currently Xi isn't in a similar position, but as more and more Chinese show they are unhappy with his leadership, the US may see that as an opportunity to quietly help democratic-minded Chinese. It won't be with weapons. It will be with more true messages shared world-wide, with the help of Taiwanese who know China better than anyone else.