As two US warships sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Sunday, China watched the passage cautiously which experts said was a muted response from China compared to its threatening responses when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei in the beginning of this month.<br />''<br />''This was the first such US operation in Taiwan Strait since Pelosi's visit to the democratically governed island after which China asked the US to halt such naval transits and staged some of its biggest ever military exercises around Taiwan often crossing the median line that separated the Chinese mainland and Taiwan and fired missiles over the island. US officials said that transits would continue, and Chinese intimidation tactics would be challenged.<br />''<br />''The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) said on Sunday, it monitored the two US warships' passage, maintained a high alert and was "ready to thwart any provocation." Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Monday at a regular press briefing in Beijing that U.S. warships frequently show off their force under the guise of "freedom of navigation". This is a provocation, and it is a deliberate undermining of regional peace and stability, he said urging the US to refrain from acting in Taiwan Strait.<br />''<br />''<br />''<span style="color: #222222;">Given China's stronger response during past such transits, experts said China might be wary of any further escalation including military escalation ahead of the crucial 20th party congress of the Communist Party of China in the already strained US-China ties as China had cut-off the key military communications channels with the US post Pelosi visit.</span><br />