The US Navy announced that the destroyer "Milius", which carries guided missiles, sailed Monday in the waters of the South China Sea , which Beijing claims sovereignty over, at a time when the Chinese army is conducting maneuvers around Taiwan .

"This freedom of navigation operation respected the rights, liberties, and lawful use of the sea," the US Navy said in a statement, adding that the ship passed near the Spratly Islands.

About 1,300 kilometers from here, Chinese fighters and warships are conducting three-day maneuvers in the vicinity of Taiwan, including simulated raids on the island.

The maneuvers came after a meeting last week in California with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

These maneuvers raise condemnation from Taipei and calls for calm on the part of Washington, which said it was "monitoring Beijing's actions closely."

Beijing said Monday that Chinese fighter jets carrying "live ammunition" had conducted "simulated strikes" near Taiwan and that the Chinese aircraft carrier "Shandong" was taking part in the maneuvers, which entered their third day.

China also said the maneuvers included a simulated "collar strike" on Taiwan.