TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A U.S. warship, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS John Finn, moved south through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday (Jan. 24).
According to the Ministry of National Defense (MND), Taiwan's military maintained full control of the surrounding maritime and air domains throughout the passage.
In a statement, the U.S. Navy also said that the transit took place beyond the territorial seas of any coastal nations.
The maneuver underscores the U.S.'s dedication to the principles of freedom of navigation. The statement emphasized that members of the international community should not be intimidated or coerced into surrendering their rights and freedoms.
On Wednesday evening, Taiwan's MND also issued a press release that reconfirmed the U.S. warship's southbound transit activity along with the comprehensive monitoring by Taiwan's military. It emphasized that the situation was entirely normal.