US warships pass throughTaiwan Strait

A U.S. Navy ship has passed through the Taiwan Strait for the first time since U.S. President Donald Trump took office, prompting strong protests from China, which condemned the move as an "act that increases security risks."

On Wednesday, the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army of China issued a statement through spokesperson Li Xi, stating that from Feb. 10 to Feb. 12, the U.S. Navy destroyer Johnson and the oceanographic survey ship Bowditch passed through the Taiwan Strait.

The Eastern Theater Command explained that it closely monitored the entire passage of the U.S. warships using naval and air forces while maintaining a heightened state of alert. “The U.S. actions send the wrong signal and increase security risks,” Spokesperson Li said.“We firmly oppose any actions that undermine national sovereignty and regional peace and stability.”

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council also stated in a briefing that “the U.S. should adhere to the ‘One China’ principle and stop sending the wrong signals to Taiwan independence forces.”

Foreign media outlets have highlighted that the U.S. Navy’s passage through the Taiwan Strait followed the U.S.-Japan summit last Friday. In their joint statement, the leaders of the two countries declared their opposition to “any attempt to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait by force or coercion.” Reuters reported that this was the first confirmed U.S. Navy transit through the Taiwan Strait since October last year. They described it as “the first U.S. mission through the politically sensitive Taiwan Strait since President Trump took office.”


Chul-Jung Kim tnf@donga.com