US warship transits Taiwan Strait for 2nd time in a month

TAIPEI • A United States warship has sailed through the Taiwan Strait for the second time in a month, Taiwanese and US militaries said yesterday, amid heightened Taiwan-China tensions, and as a Chinese aircraft carrier passes near the island.

China considers Taiwan to be a renegade province that is part of its territory, awaiting reunification. Beijing has been angered by the Trump administration's stepped-up support for Taiwan, such as more arms sales, US patrols near it and a visit to Washington by Vice-President-elect William Lai in February.

Taiwan's Defence Ministry said the US warship had transited the narrow Taiwan Strait separating the island from the Chinese mainland in a southerly direction and was continuing to sail south.

Taiwanese armed forces monitored the ship which it described as being on an "ordinary mission", the ministry added, without providing further details.

Lieutenant Anthony Junco, a US Seventh Fleet spokesman, named the ship involved as the guided missile destroyer USS Barry, and said it had conducted a "routine Taiwan Strait transit" in accordance with international law.

"The ship's transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The US Navy will continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows," he said.

Two weeks ago, the USS Barry also sailed through the strait, on the same day Chinese fighter jets held drills in waters close to Taiwan.

Taipei said on Thursday that a Chinese aircraft carrier group had sailed to its south through the Bashi Channel that sits between Taiwan and the Philippines and was heading east. The carrier group earlier this month sailed down Taiwan's east coast.

China has also been flying regular fighter patrols near Taiwan, in moves denounced by the island's government as attempts at intimidation.

China's moves near Taiwan and its sending of the carrier group into the South China Sea have prompted Washington to accuse Beijing of "bullying behaviour".

The US State Department had said China was taking advantage of the region's focus on battling the coronavirus pandemic to "coerce its neighbours".

Mr Lo Chih-cheng, a senior legislator with Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party, said China was showing that its military power had not been affected by the virus outbreak.

"The other aspect is of course to test whether the combat strength of the US military has been reduced due to the impact of the epidemic," he added.

REUTERS