China (Washington Insider Magazine) — A U.S. Navy patrol plane crossed the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, underscoring the complexity of relations between the United States and China. The move came just hours after Beijing warned Washington about the sensitive nature of the Taiwan issue in talks with Defense Department officials.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin held a virtual meeting with Chinese Minister Dong Jun, the first meeting since November 2022. Topics discussed included issues related to the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.
Tensions Over Taiwan: Beijing’s Response
Relations between the two nations have been strained, particularly highlighted by Beijing’s closure of high-level military communication channels in protest at former US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in 2022.
Seventh Fleet’s Statement on International Law
The Seventh Fleet emphasized that the passage of the aircraft through the Taiwan Strait was by international law and served to protect the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.
China’s Reaction: Monitoring the Passage
In response, China dispatched fighter jets to monitor the US aircraft’s movement, asserting that these actions complied with relevant laws and regulations. Colonel Li Xi, spokesperson for the Army’s Eastern Theater Command, reaffirmed China’s commitment to maintaining high alert levels to uphold national sovereignty, security, and regional peace.
Efforts to thaw relations between the US and China gained momentum following a meeting between President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in November of the previous year. This encounter was followed by a video call between General CQ Brown, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his Chinese counterpart, marking the first senior military contact since Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.
According to Fvdigital, The Taiwan Strait, a vital sea lane spanning 160 kilometers, holds strategic significance as it separates China from the autonomous island democracy of Taiwan. China perceives the passage of foreign military assets through this strait as a direct challenge to its sovereignty, periodically deploying ships and fighter jets in the region to exert pressure on Taiwan.
Recent Diplomatic Efforts: Hawaii Meeting
Earlier this month, defense officials from the US and China convened in Hawaii to address incidents of aggressive maneuvers by both sides in the Pacific region. The meeting, part of the China-US Military Maritime Consultative Agreement, marked a crusial step forward, being the first in-person gathering since 2019, with previous interactions limited to virtual platforms due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
