US Navy Ship Passes Through Taiwan Strait for the First Time This Year... China Expected to Protest

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Park Sun-mi] In the context of Taiwan's presidential election where pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen secured re-election, further distancing cross-strait relations, a US Navy vessel passed through the Taiwan Strait, signaling support for Taiwan.

According to Bloomberg on the 17th, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense stated in a press release that the US Navy fleet passed through the Taiwan Strait from south to north the previous day.

Earlier, Joe Keiley, spokesperson for the US 7th Fleet, announced that the Aegis-class cruiser USS Shiloh (CG-67) passed through the Taiwan Strait yesterday in accordance with international law. Spokesperson Keiley explained that the disclosure of the US vessel's passage through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates America's efforts for a free and open Indo-Pacific. The consistent position of the US Navy is that it can conduct flight and navigation missions wherever permitted by international law.

This is the first time this year that a US Navy vessel has passed through the Taiwan Strait. Since China regards the Taiwan Strait as its "front sea," this passage by the US Navy vessel is expected to provoke considerable opposition from China.

In particular, this passage attracted attention as it occurred shortly after the presidential election on the 11th in Taiwan, where incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen, who pursues a pro-independence and anti-China stance, won by a landslide. It is interpreted as an intention to bolster the Taiwan government, which opposes the "One China" principle, by publicly demonstrating the close ties between Taiwan and the US through the passage of the Taiwan Strait.

The passage of US vessels through the Taiwan Strait has become more frequent as US-China tensions escalate, leading to analyses that the US is using the "Taiwan card" to pressure China. Last year, when the US-China trade war intensified, the US Navy sailed through the Taiwan Strait nine times, provoking China.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.