USS Port Royal Transits Taiwan Strait To Show Commitment To Free Indo-Pacific - Pentagon

USS Port Royal Transits Taiwan Strait to Show Commitment to Free Indo-Pacific - Pentagon

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th May, 2022) Guided missile cruiser USS Port Royal transited the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday to demonstrate the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.

"This was another routine transit conducted today on the 10th (of May) through international waters in accordance with international law. The ship transited through a corridor in the (Taiwan) strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state. Which is the way we do this. And Port Royal's transit demonstrates our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific," Kirby told a press briefing.

Port Royal's transit came two days after Chinese military completed drills east and south-west of Taiwan.

The exercises were held on May 6-8 both at sea and in air. The objective of the exercise was to increase the combat capability of various branches of the Chinese armed forces in joint operations, according to Chinese military officials.

Taiwan became alienated from Beijing after becoming a stronghold of the Chinese Nationalist Party (the Kuomintang) that suffered defeat to the Communist Party in a civil war in 1949. The Chinese mainland and the island resumed business and informal contacts in the late 1980s. Beijing opposes any official contacts of foreign countries with Taiwan and considers Chinese sovereignty over the island indisputable.