China says Canada's warships sailing in the Taiwan Strait “deliberately stirred up trouble”

China condemned the sailing of a Canadian warship in the Taiwan Strait on Monday, saying its air and navy have been monitoring and warning the ship, a mission just days after the U.S. Navy ships performed a similar mission.

The U.S. Navy and occasionally ships from allies such as Canada, Britain and France are approximately once a month. China, which claims Taiwan’s own territory, also said that the strategic waterway belongs to it.

The People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command said in a statement that Canada's actions “deliberately sparked trouble” and undermined peace and stability in the straits.

It added: “The drama unit always maintains a high level of alertness and is determined to respond to all threats and provocations.”

Canada's global affairs did not immediately respond to China's statement.

Both China and Taiwan governments identified the ship as HMCS Ottawa.

Taiwan’s defense ministry said on Sunday the ship sailed northward, adding that Taiwan forces also maintained surveillance.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes the voyage.

“Canada has once again taken concrete actions to defend the freedom, peace and openness of the Taiwan Strait and proves its firm position that the Taiwan Strait is an international water,” it said on Sunday.

In October last year, the United States and a Canadian warship crossed the strait, and less than a week China played a new game of war on the island.

Taiwan’s democratically elected government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, saying only the people of the island can determine their future.