A US Navy P-8A Poseidon aircraft transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace on Friday, ahead of a planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month.
The US 7th Fleet said the transit demonstrated Washington’s commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and upheld the navigational rights of all nations under international law.
China’s military tracked and monitored the aircraft throughout the transit, the state-backed Global Times reported, citing a military source who said the situation remained under control.
According to Reuters, US military ships and aircraft periodically transit the Taiwan Strait, a practice that has repeatedly drawn criticism from Beijing.
The latest transit comes as Washington and Beijing seek to stabilise ties amid tensions over Taiwan, trade disputes and technology restrictions. Xi is expected to visit the US next month for talks with Trump.
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and asserts jurisdiction over the Taiwan Strait, while the US and Taiwan regard it as an international waterway.
Beijing has repeatedly described Taiwan as a core national interest and warned against challenges to its position. Taiwan rejects China’s sovereignty claims and maintains that its people should decide the island’s future.
