THIS is the moment that a risky Chinese warship almost smashed into a US destroyer in the latest naval standoff within the Taiwan Strait.
The US Navy blasted the Chinese vessel's decision to cut across the 9,000 ton destroyer as "unsafe" amid worsening Sino-US ties.
The recent video, released by the US navy, shows the Chinese warship cutting directly into the path of the USS Chung-Hoon as it patrols the Taiwan Strait.
Both the American destroyer and Canada's HSMC Montreal, a frigate, were said to be conducting a "routine" transit through the contentious area on Saturday.
The footage, released late on Sunday, shows the Chinese vessel coming within 137 metres of the US ship - narrowly avoiding a massive collision.
Putin accused of surrounding himself with same 'actors' at series of events
A muffled English-speaking voice can be heard in the video sending a radio message to the Chinese warship seemingly warning it against "attempts to limit freedom of navigation".
The US Navy slammed the manoeuvre as an "unsafe interaction".
Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson at the Chinese foreign ministry, said: "The measures taken by the Chinese military are completely reasonable, legitimate, and professional and safe.
"The U.S. had caused trouble and provocation first, while China dealt with it in accordance with the law and regulations afterwards," Wang said in response to the video.
On Saturday night, China's military rebuked the US and Canada for "deliberately provoking risk" with the rare joint sailing.
Chinese military commentator Song Zhongping called the Chinese vessel's move a "point blank interception" that demonstrated both the capabilities and "courage" of China's navy.
"The more intensified the provocation from the United States, the stronger the countermeasures from China," Song said.
It was the second such encounter in recent days.
On May 26, a video captured the terrifying moment a Chinese fighter jet nearly smashed into a US surveillance plane over the South China Sea.
The US declared the dangerous encounter as"unnecessarily aggressive" further igniting tensions between Beijing and Washington.
Russia suffers deadliest day of war so far as Ukraine strike 'kills hundreds'
"It seems to me that Beijing has instructed its forces to respond more assertively against what it believes are encroaching U.S. and allied forces," said Derek Grossman, senior defence analyst at the RAND Corporation, a U.S. think tank.
"By doing so, China is only increasing the chances for miscalculation - namely ships or aircraft accidentally colliding - that could then spiral into armed conflict," he added.
Taiwan's defence ministry on Sunday called China's actions with the U.S. and Canadian ships a "provocation".
"Any actions to increase tension and danger will not contribute to regional security."
The ministry called on China to respect the right to freedom of navigation and peace within the area.
China views the island nation of Taiwan as its own territory, a claim the Taipei government strongly rejects.
Beijing has been recently ramping up military and political pressure to try to force Taiwan into submission.
These tactics have including staging increasingly regular and aggressive war game simulations to invade and capture the self-governing island.
The brazen acts have prompted US forces to attempt to try to counterbalance the power imbalance by parading their naval might in the same waters.
American warships are often sailed through the strait, as well as the disputed South China Sea.
