US warships sail in Taiwan waters, China says it monitored ships in Taiwan strait
The US Navy said two of its warships were sailing through the Taiwan Strait on Sunday.
The Navy’s Seventh Fleet said Navy cruisers USS Antietam and USS Chancellorsville were conducting a “routine” transit through the strait.
It said the ships passed through a corridor “beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state,” and that the action demonstrates the United States’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The US Navy had frequently had its ships sail through the strait in the past, but this was the first such operation since tension heightened with China over US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan earlier this month.
China’s military says it was monitoring the US Navy warships that sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Sunday.
The Eastern Theater Command, which covers the East China Sea, says it is maintaining a high alert and is ready to counter any provocations.
The United States regards the strait as international waters where any vessel can freely navigate. But a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said in June that Beijing does not agree.
Observers say the remarks may indicate China’s possible stance that it does not regard the strait as international waters.
The United States is believed to be reemphasizing its commitment to Taiwan and East Asia. Meanwhile, China appears to be trying to shift the status quo by putting pressure on Taiwan with military drills and flights over the median line in the strait in the wake of Pelosi’s visit.
