Taiwan spotted two Russian warships off its eastern coast on Tuesday and sent its own aircraft and ships to keep watch, the island's defence ministry said. In a statement late on Tuesday, the ministry said the two frigates sailed in a northerly direction off Taiwan's east coast and then "departed from our response zone" in a southeasterly direction off the port city of Suao, which is home to a major Taiwanese naval base. Taiwan's military sent aircraft and ships to keep watch and activated shore-based missile systems, it added, without providing further details.
destroyer sparked immediate outrage from china and a warning. translator: if relevant parties insist on creating tensions in the region and making trouble out of nothing, it may force china to draw the conclusion that we need to strengthen and hasten the buildup of our relevant capabilities. i advise the u.s. not to create such a self-fulfilling prophecy. reporter: but defense secretary ash carter testifying on capitol hill today made clear the missions will continue. we will fly, sail and operate wherever international law permits in whatever whenever our operation needs required. reporter: the uss lasson sailed within 12 miles of five reefs claimed by china as sovereign territory, including where china has constructed one of several manmade islands. chinese navy ships and aircraft trailed the uss lasson at all times. during the transit, one of the chinese vessels contacted the
carter testifying on capitol hill today made clear the missions will continue. you will fly, sail and operate wherever international law permits and whenever our operation needs required. reporter: the ship sailed within 12 miles of five reefs claimed by china as sovereign territory, including subi reef, where china has constructed one of several manmade islands. the chinese defense ministry said chinese navy ships and aircraft trailed the uss lassen at all times. during the transit, one of the chinese vessels contacted the lassen s bridge, standard procedure when entering a country s national waters, but the u.s. doesn t recognize china s claim as legal or the manmade islands as territory at all, and this isn t the first time the u.s. navy has delivered that message. in may, we flew exclusively on a u.s. surveillance aircraft as it flew over the same islands, a demonstration the u.s. considers the air space international as well. go, go!