Tensions in the Taiwan Strait: China has denounced the fact that a French ship has entered claimed waters as such

China is officially complaining to France, alleging that a French warship entered Chinese territorial waters this month through the Taiwan Strait. The April 7 incident in the Taiwan Strait it's a rare cases of military friction between the two countrieswho organized joint search and rescue exercises.

Vice Premier Hu Chunhua accused British activity in the South China Sea because of tension in bilateral relations, commenting at the beginning of a meeting with the Secretary of the Treasury of Britain, Philip Hammond.

Hu's complaint and comments seem to illustrate how China now allows claims of its land claims to affect its links with countries outside the region.. In addition, a sign that US allies seek to reaffirm the freedom of navigation in international waters claimed by the Asian giant.

Ren Guoqiang, spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, said that the Chinese Navy sent ships to identify, warn and escort the French ship and that it will remain "very vigilant to firmly safeguard the security and sovereignty of China".

France said Thursday that she "reaffirmed her attachment to the freedom of navigation, in accordance with the law of the sea," said a member of the environment of Defense Minister Florence Parly.

The French frigate Vendémiaire, which was to participate this week in Qingdao, on the east coast of China, at a naval parade of the 70th anniversary of the Chinese navy, was not present. Paris has not given any explanation for this program change.

The Taiwan StraitAbout 160 km wide separate Mainland China from Taiwan, which Beijing also claims as territory. Considered an international route, it is crossed by ships of all nations, many of them going to Chinese ports.

However, China has been extremely sensitive to the operations of foreign military vessels in areas that it claims, like the South China Sea, where he built military installations on seven artificial islands.

France, Australia and Britain strengthen their presence in the region, while the The US Navy increases its "freedom of navigation" missions near Chinese installations, infuriating Beijing.

In his comments to Hammond, Hu seemed to be referring to such a mission by a British ship in August.

The Chinese navy has been expanding for several years and has a large fleet of war. Beijing is also trying to badert its sovereignty in areas of the South China Sea.

(With information from AP, AFP and Reuters)