The United States Navy, on Sunday (local time), said that its guided-missile destroyer, USS Milius, has conducted a “routine” Taiwan Strait transit through waters but it came days after China concluded its military drills around the island, according to the official statement. In a statement, US Navy 7th Fleet said, “The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Milius (DDG 69) conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit April 16 (local time) through waters where high-seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law.”
“The ship transited through a corridor in the Strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal State. Milius’ 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,” it added. China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, officially ended its three days of exercises around Taiwan last Monday. This drill came in the response to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s meeting with US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Last week, Monday, China’s Eastern Command said in a statement that the exercise “completely tested the integrated joint combat ability of multiple military branches under actual combat conditions”, Al Jazeera reported. “If we want to protect peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait we must firmly oppose any form of Taiwan independence separatism,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a regular briefing on Monday.
According to Al Jazeera’s report, Shi Yi, the PLA Eastern Theater Command’s spokesperson, stated that China’s military will be ready at all times to defeat any form of “Taiwan Independence” and foreign interference attempts. Chinese fighter jets and warships conducted simulated strikes on Taiwan during the weekend.
Beijing’s actions sparked protests in Taiwan. Earlier, China informed Taiwan that a no-fly zone will be implemented north of the country in the following week, NHK World reported, citing Taiwan’s transportation ministry.
China reportedly warned Taiwan’s northern flight information zone on Tuesday of the upcoming airspace closure, to conduct aerospace activities in the area.