US Warship Passes Through Taiwan Strait for the Tenth Time This Year... "We Will Uphold Freedom of Navigation"

Missile-guided ship passes Taiwan Strait photos released
China expected to protest following Taiwan advanced weapons sales

The USS Barry, a US Navy missile destroyer, passing through the Taiwan Strait on the 14th under the "Freedom of Navigation" operation. This is the tenth time this year that a US warship has passed through the Taiwan Strait. [Image source: US Navy Twitter]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Amid rising tensions between the United States and China in the South China Sea, a U.S. warship has passed through the Taiwan Strait, which China claims as its territorial waters, for the tenth time this year. The U.S. Navy described this as a symbolic action to uphold the internationally guaranteed "freedom of navigation (Free and Open)" and strong Chinese backlash is expected. Analysts also predict that tensions between China and Taiwan will further escalate.

The U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet announced on the 14th (local time) that the USS Barry, a U.S. guided missile destroyer, passed through the Taiwan Strait the previous day as part of a freedom of navigation operation, releasing photos along with the statement. The U.S. Navy said, "We conducted a routine transit through the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, demonstrating the United States' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific," and emphasized, "The U.S. Navy will continue to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows." This marks the tenth time this year that a U.S. warship has passed through the Taiwan Strait, and it has been about a month since the last transit at the end of August.

With the sharp standoff between the U.S. and China continuing in the South China Sea, China is expected to strongly oppose this matter. China has repeatedly protested whenever U.S. warships transit the Taiwan Strait, emphasizing that the Taiwan Strait is its territorial waters. The Chinese government previously issued a statement criticizing the U.S. for pushing advanced weapons sales to Taiwan, saying it would only bring misfortune to Taiwan. At a regular briefing on the 14th, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of China, strongly warned, "We firmly oppose the U.S. selling weapons to the Taiwan region," adding, "It will only bring great disaster to the people of Taiwan."

Nevertheless, the U.S. is pushing to export seven types of advanced weapons to Taiwan, including cruise missiles, drones, and mines. According to the Associated Press, the U.S. government has requested congressional approval to sell five types of weapons: the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), the long-range air-to-ground missile SLAM-ER, data links for F-16 fighter jets, the MQ-9 Reaper, and the Harpoon anti-ship missile. Approval requests for underwater mines and anti-tank missiles are also expected to be submitted soon.