TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan’s defense ministry says two U.S. warships have sailed through the Taiwan Strait in the latest apparent move by Washington to challenge China’s claims in the region.
A ministry statement says the ships passed through from south to north on Wednesday without incident. China, which claims Taiwan as its territory, complained last month about a French ship entering Chinese territorial waters as it passed through the strait.
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China maintains a more ambiguous boundary than defined by international treaty and has asserted a claim to virtually the entire South China Sea, which is contiguous with the Taiwan Strait.
Such passages through the strait by the U.S. Navy are seen as a show of support for Taiwan, a close American ally despite their lack of diplomatic relations.
