US Warship Transits Taiwan Strait Amid China Tensions
April 7, 2021
The guided missile destroyer USS John S. McCain conducted a “routine” transit of the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, the U.S. Navy said, as China sent more fighter jets into Taiwan’s air defense zone and a Chinese carrier group drilled near Taiwan.
“The ship’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military will continue to fly, sail, and operate anywhere international law allows,” the U.S. Navy said in a statement.
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area (Photo: U.S. Navy)
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area (Photo: U.S. Navy)
Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Andrew Heavens