The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Milius (DDG-69), deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations, conducts underway operations, at an undisclosed location in South China Sea, in this handout picture released on April 10, 2023. (U.S. Navy/Handout via REUTERS)
TAIPEI聽 鈥� The U.S. warship USS Milius sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Sunday, the U.S. Navy said on Monday, describing it as a 鈥渞outine鈥� transit, but coming just days after China ended its latest war games around the island.
China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, officially ended its three days of exercises around Taiwan last Monday where it practiced precision strikes and blockading the island.
It staged the drills to express anger at Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen鈥檚 meeting with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
The U.S. Navy鈥檚 7th Fleet said the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Milius conducted a 鈥渞outine Taiwan Strait transit鈥� through waters 鈥渨here high-seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law鈥�.
The ship鈥檚 transit demonstrates the United States鈥� commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, it added.