US Navy: Coast Guard Ship Transits Taiwan Strait

The US Navy indicated today, Thursday, that "a vessel belonging to the US Coast Guard transited the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday," the day after the conclusion of Secretary of State Antony Blinken's high-level visit to Beijing. The US Seventh Fleet stated in a release: "The ship Stratton conducted a routine transit in the Taiwan Strait, through waters that allow freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law." It added, "Stratton's passage through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States' commitment to keeping the Indo-Pacific region free and open. The US military operates aircraft and ships across any areas permitted under international law." Meanwhile, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense noted that the ship sailed northward, and Taiwanese forces are monitoring the situation, describing it as "normal."