China protests passage of US destroyer through Taiwan Strait

China has protested the passage of a U.S. Navy destroyer through the Taiwan Strait, calling it a deliberate move to undermine stability in the region. The U.S. Navy said in a statement the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Milius “conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit” on Tuesday “in accordance with international law.” The statement said the ship’s transit through the strait “demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific”. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman accused the U.S. of “stirring up trouble” in the Taiwan Strait. China claims virtually the entire South China Sea, which neighbors the Taiwan Straits — claims the U.S. and its regional allies reject as contrary to international law.