Routine Taiwan transit occurred the day after Secretary Blinken concluded his visit to China.
The day after Secretary of State Antony Blinken departed from Beijing, a U.S. Coast Guard ship sailed through the Taiwan Strait as a routine test of freedom of navigation laws in the region. While China has claimed the Taiwan Strait as part of its territory, the U.S. and other allied nations regularly navigate through the area, by air and sea, to emphasize its designation as international waters.
The U.S. Navy stated, “Stratton’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.”
China called the maneuver “public hype.” The Chinese Coast Guard stated it “will strengthen patrol law enforcement in waters under China’s jurisdiction, and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security, and maritime rights and interests.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Admiral John Aquilino as he commands the Indo-Pacific forces.
- For Admiral Linda Fagan as she commands the U.S. Coast Guard.
- For wisdom for U.S. military and naval officials as they transit regions contested by hostile nations.
Sources: Indo-Pacific Command, Military.com
