BEIJING, Feb. 4 -- “The US move to send warship to sail through the Taiwan Strait and hype it publicly is an old trick to "manipulate" the cross-Strait situation. China is firmly opposed to that,” said Senior Colonel Zhang Chunhui, spokesperson for the PLA Eastern Theater Command, in a written statement published on Thursday.

Snr. Col. Zhang stated that the USS John S. McCain sailed through the Taiwan Strait earlier on February 4, which was tracked and monitored by the PLA Eastern Theater Command for the entire course. The move by the US is a repeat of its old trick to manipulate the cross-Strait situation in mixed ways, fabricate intense factors deliberately and disturb regional peace and stability.

Snr. Col. Zhang stressed that China is firmly opposed to the US move. No matter how the situation across the Taiwan Strait changes, the troops assigned to the PLA Eastern Theater Command will loyally perform their duties and missions, resolutely safeguard China's national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, and firmly maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.