Two US warships passed through the Taiwan Strait early Sunday morning. in in first such naval exercises since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan earlier this month, which angered China government.
The cruisers USS Antietam and USS Chancellorsville make a routine passage through the strait, which typically takes about 12 minutes. hoursaccording to a statement from the 7th Fleet of the Navy, whose headquarters in Japan.
“The ship’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. United States military flies, swims and works anywhere international law allows”, the message says.
China said it was closely monitoring the ships.
Troops “are on on high alert and ready to thwart any provocation at any time,” said Colonel Shi Yi. in statement posted to the Chinese microblogging site Weibo, on check of Command of the Eastern Theater of the People’s Liberation Army.
Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan earlier this month angered Beijing, which considers the island a breakaway Chinese territory and does not govern it. out using military force take control of it.
When the civil war in China between communists and nationalists is over in 1949 with in former triumphant, last set up rival government in Taipei.
Since the 1970s, the United States has officially recognized only Beijing, but also become Taiwanese main arms supplier and international sponsor
Taiwan says People’s Republic of China has never ruled the island and therefore has no claims on it, and only 23 million people in Taiwan people can decide their future.
In response to Pelosi’s visit to China out big military exercises near the island, sending warships across the strait, raising fighters and firing long-range rockets over It.
Was more muted response after congress a delegation led by Senator Ed Markey, Massachusetts, including Representatives John Garamendi and Alan Lowenthal, California, and Don Beyer, Virginia, and Delegate Amata Coleman Radewagen, Republic of American Samoa, visited Taiwan almost two weeks later.
