On Wednesday, a U.S. Navy patrol plane crossed the delicate Taiwan Strait. This came just hours after the Chinese and American defense chiefs spoke, in which Beijing warned Washington about the extremely delicate nature of the Taiwan issue. Despite this, the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet stated that the aircraft’s transit over the strait was conducted in accordance with international law, emphasizing the U.S.’s commitment to navigational rights and freedoms in the region.
“By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations,” it said in a statement. “The aircraft’s transit of the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
Taiwan’s defense ministry noted that the aircraft flew south through the strait, with Taiwanese forces monitoring the situation without detecting anything unusual. China did not immediately react to this operation, contrasting with a previous incident where Chinese military aircraft were deployed to monitor a similar U.S. Navy operation in December.
This Poseidon mission’s timing aligned with a meeting between Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, their first since more than a year ago. Throughout the discussion, Dong underlined how important the Taiwan dispute is to China and cautioned against taking any steps that could harm its China’s interests.
According to a readout from the Chinese ministry, Dong told Austin that the Taiwan issue is “core of China’s core interests and China’s core interests must absolutely not be harmed.”
The United States maintains strong ties with Taiwan, being its most significant international supporter and arms supplier despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations. The Taiwan issue remains a contentious point in Sino-U.S. relations, with U.S. military vessels and aircraft transiting the Taiwan Strait approximately once a month.
Taiwan’s government rejects China’s claims of sovereignty over the island, asserting that its future should be determined by its people. Meanwhile, China has never ruled out the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, adding to the complexities and tensions surrounding this longstanding issue.