TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) on Sunday (June 4) urged China to "avoid excessively provocative actions," after the U.S. Navy (USN) released footage showing a Chinese naval vessel plowing in front of the bow of an American naval ship.

On Saturday (June 3), the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) guided-missile destroyer CNS Suzhou made aggressive maneuvers around the USS Chung-Hoon, while transiting the Taiwan Strait with the HMCS Montreal that day. The PLAN destroyer at one point came within 150 yards of the Chung-Hoon as it swerved in front of its bow, forcing the U.S. ship to quickly change course to prevent a collision.

In response to global media reports about the incident, the MND issued a statement on Sunday, saying it was fully aware of the situation and had dispatched naval and air assets to ensure the security and stability of the Taiwan Strait. The ministry added that "maintaining the peace, stability, and development of the Taiwan Strait and the region is the common responsibility of free and democratic countries around the world."

The defense ministry warned, "Any measures taken to increase tension and danger in the strait will not contribute to regional security." The ministry called on Chinese authorities to "respect the right to freedom of navigation, avoid excessively provocative actions, and jointly maintain regional peace, stability, and security."

On Sunday evening, the USN released new footage showing the Suzhou cut in front of the bow of the Chung-Hoon. In the video, the crew from the Chung-Hoon can be heard attempting to radio the Suzhou, as the American ship is forced to slow down and maneuver through Suzhou's wake.

Taiwan urges China to avoid 'provocative actions' after near miss with US Navy ship https://t.co/84z6rhnBVc pic.twitter.com/ut9fzTW9Px

— Taiwan News (@TaiwanNewsEN) June 5, 2023