The Ministry of National Defense yesterday confirmed that a US military vessel sailed through the Taiwan Strait, the 10th US vessel to make such a transit this year.
The ship entered the Strait from the southwest, heading north, the ministry said in a statement, but did not name the vessel, although Reuters identified it as the USS Antietam.
The passage of the US warship through the Strait constitutes freedom of navigation, the ministry said, adding that the nation’s military monitored the transit and there was no “abnormal activity.”
Photo: AP
The ship’s transit through the Strait demonstrates the US’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region, Reuters said, quoting a statement from US Pacific Fleet spokesman Clay Doss.
“The US Navy will continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows,” the statement said.
The passage of the US military vessel through the waterway separating Taiwan and China marked the sixth such operation this year.
The first occurred on Jan. 24, when the guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell and the USNS Walter S. Diehl made similar passages.
The USS Stethem and USNS Cesar Chavez transited the Strait on Feb. 24, followed by the transit of the guided-missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur and the maritime security cutter USS Bertholf on March 24.
The USS William P. Lawrence and USS Stethem then traversed the Strait on April 28, followed by the transit of the destroyer USS Preble and USNS Walter S. Diehl on May 22.
US warships have sailed through the Strait at least once a month this year, except last month.
The voyage yesterday came amid heightened cross-strait tensions, as well as the ongoing trade dispute between Washington and Beijing.
China on Wednesday released its first defense white paper since 2012. The paper made it clear that the Chinese military would resolutely “oppose and contain Taiwan independence.”
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source