Storyline

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Wednesday closely followed and monitored the U.S. and Canadian warships that sailed through the Taiwan Strait, a spokesman for the PLA Eastern Theater Command said on Thursday.

The PLA Eastern Theater Command had responded to it in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, Senior Colonel Shi Yi, the spokesman, said in a statement.

Noting that the United States and Canada had hyped up the transit of U.S. destroyer USS Rafael Peralta and Canadian frigate HMCS Ottawa through the Taiwan Strait, Shi warned that the PLA Eastern Theater Command stays on high alert at all times and is ready to resolutely defend national sovereignty and security, and maintain regional peace and stability.