With the U.S. and Taiwan in trade talks this week, tensions have been rising across the Taiwan Strait. Like a Jedi and a Sith pacing before a duel, the U.S. and Chinese militaries have been engaging in “routine” operations in the Strait. As the U.S. and Taiwan announced growing trade ties in early June, China carried out “multi-service joint combat readiness patrols” near Taiwan. After a top Chinese General traded barbs with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the Shangri-La dialogue in Singapore, China’s Foreign Ministry declared on June 13 that the Taiwan Strait is not international waters, but “are China's internal waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone in that order." The U.S. State Department responded that the Strait is an “international waterway,” and sent an anti-submarine aircraft over the Strait to prove its point. China promptly sent 29 fighter jets into Taiwan’s airspace on June 22. The Taiwan Strait, indeed, contains international waters. China’s claim to the contrary can harm world trade, freedom of navigation, and the rule of law.
The Taiwan Strait is a strategic body of water that provides security to Taiwan and critical mobility for international trade and freedom of navigation to the international community. It connects the South and East China Seas, making it a key route for transit and trade between East and Southeast Asia. The Strait is about 86 nautical miles wide at its narrowest point, comparable to the distance...
The visual verification might not be accessible to you. We recommend you to use the audio verification instead. Important: after clicking play, you will hear 6 digits. Please wait until the audio f...