On February 11, the US Navy confirmed that two warships crossed the Taiwan Strait, stating it was a routine operation. This marked the first such move since President Trump took office, sparking discontent from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
According to Reuters, the US Navy identified the two vessels as the USS Ralph Johnson, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, and the USNS Bowditch, a survey ship. The two ships conducted a north to south crossing of the Taiwan Strait from February 10 to 12.
Matthew Comer, spokesperson for the US Indo-Pacific Command, stated, “The transit operation took place in a waterway in the Taiwan Strait that is beyond the territorial waters of any coastal state.” He emphasized that all countries have the right to freedom of navigation, overflight, and other related lawful uses of the sea in this waterway.
For years, US warships have periodically transited the Taiwan Strait, sometimes alongside allied vessels. Each time a Western country’s warship crosses the Taiwan Strait, it triggers discontent from the CCP.
Chinese officials also reported that the two US vessels transited the Taiwan Strait from Monday to Wednesday, prompting the deployment of military forces to monitor the situation.
The most recent publicized US naval mission in the Taiwan Strait was in late November 2024, when a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft flew over the area.
The last US Navy ships to transit the Taiwan Strait were the USS Higgins, a missile destroyer, and the HMCS Vancouver, a Canadian frigate, in October 2024.
The Chinese military conducts daily military operations in the Taiwan Strait, which the Taiwanese government sees as part of Beijing’s pressure tactics.
President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Lai Ching-te has rejected Beijing’s sovereignty claims, asserting that only the Taiwanese people can determine their own future.