(Deutsche Welle Chinese website) A U.S. Navy Poseidon cruise aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait in international airspace on Friday (August 22). The US Seventh Fleet stated that this move demonstrates the United States’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
China's state-run Global Times reported, citing a military source, that the Chinese military tracked and monitored the patrol and reconnaissance plane's entire crossing, saying "the situation is under control."
Every few months, U.S. warships or aircraft fly through or over the Taiwan Strait waterway that separates democratically governed Taiwan from communist-ruled China, missions that have repeatedly angered Beijing.
The Seventh Fleet stated in a statement that the United States' activities in the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law are to safeguard the navigation rights and freedoms of all countries; the aircraft's passage through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, and the U.S. military will fly, sail and operate anywhere permitted by international law.
U.S. Senator's National Security Answer Draws Criticism
U.S. Senator Darline Graham drew criticism during a debate on Tuesday when she struggled to answer a question about whether the United States had national security interests in Taiwan and the South China Sea, saying national security was "not my expertise."
Taiwan and the South China Sea have long been major issues in U.S. foreign policy, and tensions involving China have kept both in the news in recent months. Given their importance to global trade, the situation in Taiwan and the South China Sea will not only affect the region, but may also affect the world.
South Carolina Senator Darlene Graham, who was appointed to replace her late brother Lindsey Graham, is seeking a full term. His brother is known for his deep involvement in foreign policy and has visited other countries many times, including Taiwan.
Taiwan issue may become the focus again during Xi-Trump meeting in September
Xi Jinping is expected to visit the United States next month to meet Trump, when Washington and Beijing are likely to try to stabilize bilateral ties that have been damaged by issues such as Taiwan, trade disputes and technology controls.
During U.S. President Trump’s visit to Beijing in May this year, Chinese President Xi Jinping made it clear that Taiwan remains the most important issue in bilateral relations. Xi Jinping warned that if the United States fails to handle relations with the island, it could lead to confrontation between the two countries.
Trump did not speak publicly about Taiwan during his visit. But on his way back to the United States, he said that arms sales to Taiwan were a "very good bargaining chip" in dealing with China. This remark caused uneasiness in Taiwan.
Currently, the U.S. military’s ability to maintain its presence in the Western Pacific is also being tested by demands from other directions. The USS George Washington is about to leave the Pacific and head to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, whose deployment has been extended to support U.S. operations against Iran. The move will temporarily leave the Western Pacific without a U.S. aircraft carrier at a time when tensions with China are rising and the Trump administration is shrinking from the Asia-Pacific and focusing instead on the Western Hemisphere.
Executive Yuan passes budget: Taiwan’s military spending exceeds NT$1 trillion for first time
Taiwan's Executive Yuan passed the 2027 central government general budget on Thursday, in which the overall defense budget exceeded NT$1 trillion for the first time, reaching NT$1 trillion122.5 billion. It was also the first time that it exceeded 3% of the gross domestic product GDP, reaching 3.01%.
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te previously said that this demonstrates Taiwan's determination to strengthen its self-defense capabilities. He said: "Investing in national defense is investing in peace. We will continue to build stronger national defense forces to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the region."
Facing the increasing threat from China, the Taiwan authorities have made military modernization a core policy and have repeatedly promised to increase defense investment, including the development of Taiwan-made drones and submarines.
China dispatches military aircraft, coast guard ships and other vessels around Taiwan almost every day, and holds large-scale military exercises from time to time. Taiwan also holds regular military exercises, including the annual "Han Kuang" exercise.
Taiwan last week concluded this year's "Han Kuang" exercise, which simulated a variety of combat scenarios, including how to break through a possible naval blockade by China. The Chinese Ministry of National Defense called these exercises a "show that wastes people and money" and "exaggerates the atmosphere of war and creates panic in society."
China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its territory and claims jurisdiction over the Taiwan Strait; Taiwan and the United States say the strait is an international waterway. Beijing has repeatedly claimed that the Taiwan issue is China's internal affairs and concerns Beijing's core interests. It is a red line that cannot be crossed or trampled.
Taiwan authorities deny China's sovereignty claims and say only the Taiwanese people can determine their own future.
