China nearly hitting U.S. warship is ‘clearly provocative’: ex-navy head

China’s close manoeuvring near a U.S. ship in the Taiwan Strait was “clearly provocative,” says retired vice-admiral Mark Norman, former vice chief of the defence staff.

Speaking to Mercedes Stephenson on The West Block, Norman — a 39-year veteran of the Royal Canadian Navy and its former commander — said the Chinese captain “knew exactly what he was doing.”

“This was not an accident,” he said.

Global News reported on Saturday that a Chinese warship came within 150…