A US Navy destroyer on Tuesday sailed through the Taiwan Strait, making it the sixth transit by a US warship through the waterway in five months.
USS Curtis Wilbur, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, “conducted a routine Taiwan Strait June 22 (local time) through international waters in accordance with international law,” the US 7th Fleet said in a statement.
“The ship’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the US’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” it said.
US warships have made similar passages via the waterway separating Taiwan and China on five occasions before Tuesday since US President Joe Biden assumed office on Jan. 20, despite strong opposition from Beijing.
The latest mission comes about a week after Taiwan reported that 28 Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force planes entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone.
That incident followed a joint statement by G7 leaders scolding China over human rights breaches, and underscoring the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday said that it monitored the US warship’s movements and that the situation in the surrounding area remained normal as the ship sailed in a northerly direction.
Additional reporting by Reuters
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