Two U.S. Navy ships crossed the Taiwan Strait this week. This marks the first time U.S. ships have entered the strait since Donald Trump took office.
China has responded strongly to the presence of U.S. ships in the Taiwan Strait, stating that such actions increase security risks.
The U.S. Navy occasionally operates alongside allied nations’ ships and crosses the Taiwan Strait at least once a month. However, China claims Taiwan as its own territory and asserts that this strategic waterway belongs to them.
The U.S. Navy has reported that two vessels— the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson and the Pathfinder-class survey ship USNS Bowditch—have transited the Taiwan Strait. It was further stated that these two ships will travel from north to south between February 10 and 12.
Commander Matthew Comer, spokesperson for the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, stated that the ships transited the strait outside any coastal nation’s territorial waters.
China’s military has announced that it has deployed forces to monitor the maritime route.