On November 26, 2024, the US Navy released a statement saying that a patrol plane leaped across the international airspace above the Taiwan Strait.
The Seventh Fleet of the US Navy stated that a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft flew across the international airspace of the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law. The statement emphasized that this transit upheld the navigation rights of all countries and demonstrated the US commitment to freedom and openness in the Indo-Pacific region.
The United States is Taiwan’s most important security partner, with US warships and aircraft regularly transiting the waters between mainland China and Taiwan. These actions always provoke strong reactions from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as they claim jurisdiction over the Taiwan Strait. However, both Taiwan and the US object to this claim, arguing that the strait is an international waterway.
The statement from the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) deemed their response to the situation as “effective” and criticized the US for trying to “mislead” the international community.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense stated that the P-8A flew north over the Taiwan Strait, and the Taiwanese military monitored the surrounding sea and airspace throughout, with the situation remaining normal.
In April of this year, the Chinese military claimed to have dispatched fighter jets to monitor and warn a US Navy Poseidon patrol aircraft’s actions in the Taiwan Strait. Just hours before this flight, the defense ministers of both China and the US had a phone conversation.
On the other hand, China sends warships or aircraft near Taiwan almost daily. On Monday, November 25, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense reported that a Chinese balloon appeared in the waters off northern Taiwan.
Last month, after Taiwan celebrated its 113th National Day, China dispatched a record-breaking 153 aircraft, 14 naval vessels, and 12 government ships for military exercises near Taiwan within a day, claiming it was a warning to “Taiwan independence” forces.
(This article has references from reports by Reuters and the Associated Press)