China's military says it 'followed, monitored' U.S destroyer

China's military said on Wednesday it followed and monitored U.S. destroyer Benfold's transit of the Taiwan Strait. 

"The frequent provocations and showing-off by the United States fully demonstrate that the United States is a destroyer of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and a maker of security risks in the Taiwan Strait," said Chinese military's Eastern Theatre Command said. 

The U.S. Navy on Saturday said in a statement the USS Benfold carried out what it calls a "freedom of navigation operation" in the South China Sea near the Spratly Islands.  

"On July 16, USS Benfold (DDG 65) asserted navigational rights and freedoms in the South China Sea near the Spratly Islands, consistent with international law," it said.  

The USS Benfold (DDG-65) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. It boasts a multi-mission platform, capable of anti-aircraft warfare due to its Aegis Combat System and anti-aircraft missiles; it can seek and destroy enemy submarines with its towed sonar array and anti-submarine rockets. It also has surface-to-surface and land strike capabilities with a Harpoon missile launcher and Tomahawk missiles.

(Staff and Reuters)