Shi Yi, spokesperson for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), rejected in a communiqué on Friday the passage of the guided missile destroyer USS Barry through the area and denounced that the vessel put peace and stability there at risk.

According to the statement, the White House has once again demonstrated to be the main troublemaker and the Chinese side can only be prepared to respond to any kind of threat and provocation at any time.

Since the middle of 2020, the PLA carried out multiple real combat drills in the Taiwan Strait and other maritime areas aimed at safeguarding sovereignty and stability after Washington’s continuous military incursions.

That entity described the exercises as a ‘necessary action’ to safeguard national interests and test joint combat capabilities among different forces.

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