US warship transits Taiwan Strait in display of support for Taipei

The sail past by guided missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon is likely to anger Beijing.

USS Chung-Hoon in the Pacific in August 2020. Picture: AFP

An American warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Thursday, in a move likely to anger Beijing.

The guided missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon “conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit January 5 through waters where high-seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law”, the US Navy said.

“Chung-Hoon’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military flies, sails and operates anywhere international law allows.”

Taiwan lives under threat of an invasion by China, which claims the liberal democracy as part of its territory to be seized one day – by force if necessary. Washington diplomatically recognises Beijing over Taipei, but maintains de facto relations with Taiwan and provides military aid.

Tensions in the Taiwan Strait soared to their highest level in years last August after then US house speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, with Beijing staging days of air and sea exercises around the island.

AFP