China criticized the United States on Tuesday for "distorting and sensationalizing" the issue surrounding a US Navy P-8A Poseidon aircraft's transit through the Taiwan Strait.
Senior Colonel Cao Jun, spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army, responded sharply, accusing Washington of "distorting legal principles and misleading international public opinion," as reported by Xinhua. Cao emphasized that the Chinese military had closely tracked and issued warnings to the US aircraft, underlining Beijing's stance on safeguarding regional peace and stability.
The US Navy had conducted the flight as part of its commitment to maintaining freedom of navigation in the region, but China views such operations as provocative.
