The mood has hardened between China and the United States following the incident, which occurred on Saturday.
According to the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. and Canadian navies were conducting an exercise in the Taiwan Strait, which separates Taiwan from mainland China, when a Chinese warship approached a U.S. warship.
A video released of the incident shows the Chinese warship speeding up and driving in front of the American ship, which is thus forced to brake sharply to avoid a collision.
According to the United States, the distance between the ships was only 137 meters, which posed a high risk of collision. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin called the maneuver "extremely dangerous" and has now called on the Chinese leadership in Beijing to take action.
"I have pointed out to China's leaders the importance of curbing this type of behavior. I think accidents can happen that get things out of control," he said in a statement, NBC News reports.
Second event in a short time
The incident occurred just days after Chinese fighter jets drove in front of a U.S. fighter jet during an exercise over the South China Sea. The Pentagon called it an "unnecessarily aggressive maneuver" at the time.
"We don't seek conflict or confrontation. But we will not stand back in the event of bullying, threats or coercion, says Lloyd Austin.
China's military leadership said in a statement after Saturday's incident that Chinese forces "handled the situation based on applicable laws and regulations." It also states that the US presence and exercises so close to Chinese territory are a provocation.
"Affected countries are deliberately escalating problems and risks in the Taiwan Strait, deliberately undermining regional peace and stability, and sending the wrong signal to 'Taiwan Independence' forces," a spokesperson said.
Taiwan's Ministry of Defense has stated in a statement that it was China and not the United States that was the provocative party in the incident in the Taiwan Strait.