The United States Navy sailed the destroyer USS John Finn through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, marking the first such passage since Taiwan’s recent presidential and parliamentary elections. The move is likely to escalate tensions between the U.S. and China, which considers Taiwan a part of its territory.
The U.S. Navy stated that the USS John Finn’s transit demonstrated the commitment to upholding freedom of navigation for all nations, emphasizing the importance of not coercing or intimidating any member of the international community into giving up their rights and freedoms.
China’s military, the People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theatre Command, criticized the mission as “public hyping” and accused the U.S. of frequently carrying out provocative acts to undermine regional peace and stability. Taiwan’s defense ministry reported that the ship sailed in a southerly direction through the strait, and it monitored the movement, describing the situation as normal.
This transit comes as leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives Taiwan Caucus, Representatives Mario Diaz Balart and Ami Bera, visit Taipei to show support following Taiwan’s January 13 elections. China has consistently asserted its sovereignty claims over Taiwan, conducting military activities, including sending warplanes and warships near the island, to assert its position.
Tensions in the region heightened last week when Taiwan’s defense ministry reported the detection of 18 Chinese air force planes conducting “joint combat readiness patrols” with Chinese warships around Taiwan. This activity marked the first large-scale military operation after Taiwan’s recent elections. The U.S. Navy’s transit through the Taiwan Strait is likely to further strain U.S.-China relations and contribute to the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the region.
The U.S. has maintained a policy of strategic ambiguity regarding Taiwan, providing security assistance to the island without explicitly guaranteeing its defense. The recent transit underscores the complexity of the Taiwan issue in the broader context of U.S.-China relations and regional stability.
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