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Taiwan: Two US warships sail through strait

August 28, 2022

The US Navy has sailed two warships through the Taiwan Strait, in the first such transit since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan.

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The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam seen off the coast of Japan near Mt. Fuji.
The USS Antietam (in picture) and USS Chancellorsville are conducting a "routine" transit, according to the US Navy Image: Mass Communication Specialist Seaman David Flewellyn/U.S. Navy via AP/picture alliance

Two United States Navy warships are sailing through the Taiwan Strait, in the first such transit since China carried out the largest-ever military drills around Taiwan, following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the self-ruled island earlier this month.

The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers — the USS Antietam and the USS Chancellorsville — conducted the "routine" transit on Sunday "through waters where high seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law,"  the US 7th Fleet said in a statement on Sunday. 

Such exercises have been known to take eight to 12 hours to complete and are closely watched by China's military.

"These [US] ships transited through a corridor in the strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state," the US Navy said.

US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the passage of US ships was "planned long ago."

The transit sent a "very clear message, very consistent message... that the United States Navy, the United States military will sail, fly and operate wherever international law permits us to do so."

Kirby added that it was "very consistent with our 'One China' policy, very consistent with our desire to make sure that we can continue to work toward a free and open Indo-Pacific."

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Soaring tensions

There has been increased friction between Washington and Beijing ever since Pelosi's visit to Taiwan in early August.

An infuriated China reacted to the visit by staging days of air and sea drills around the island that it claims as part of its territory.

The US Navy further said in its statement that the transit "demonstrates the United States' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific."

The US  has no official diplomatic relations with Taiwan but maintains extensive informal ties through the unofficial American Institute in Taiwan.

Washington also supports the island's right to decide its future and provides considerable political and military support to Taipei.

The US and Western allies have stepped up  "freedom of navigation" crossings by naval vessels of both the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea to reinforce the idea that those seas are international waterways, irking Beijing.

dvv/kb (AFP, AP, Reuters)