“Carriers and carrier strike groups writ large are phenomenal symbols of American naval power. Stephen Koehler, director of operations at Indo-Pacific Command. And as I always tell my guys here, you’ve got to be present to win when you’re competing,” said Rear Adm. “The ability to be present in a strong way is part of the competition. national defense strategy cites China as a top security concern, and Pentagon leaders have been working to shift more resources and military assets to the region to battle what they see is Beijing’s growing economic influence and military might. That includes selling weapons for Taiwan to defend itself.The U.S. The US abides by the “One China” policy – a cornerstone of the two countries’ diplomatic relationship which recognises only one Chinese government – and has formal ties with Beijing and not Taiwan.īut it also maintains a “robust unofficial” relationship with the island. Taiwan has become yet another flashpoint between Washington and Beijing in recent years, with the US walking a diplomatic tightrope on the issue. Taiwan is self-ruled, but China sees it as a breakaway province with which it will eventually unite, with force if necessary. Taiwan’s defence ministry said the ships were sailing in a southerly direction and that its forces were observing, but that “the situation was as normal”. “These ships transited through a corridor in the strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state,” the statement added. The US Navy said in a statement that the transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrated the “United States’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific”. On Sunday, its military said it was monitoring the two vessels’ progress, maintaining a high alert, and was ready to defeat any provocation, Reuters news agency reports. Washington says its two guided-missile cruisers – the USS Antietam and the USS Chancellorsville – are demonstrating freedom of navigation through international waters.īeijing views such actions as provocative and maintains that the island of Taiwan is an integral part of Chinese territory.
On Sunday, Taiwan’s defence ministry says it detected 23 Chinese aircraft and eight Chinese ships operating around Taiwan.Īmong the detected aircraft, seven crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait – an unofficial barrier between Taiwan and China. China reacted to Ms Pelosi’s visit by holding military drills in the area.
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