China's military deployed aircraft and ships to monitor and track a U.S. plane during its passage through the sensitive waterway of the the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday. Beijing views such transits as provocative, given its claim over Taiwan and the surrounding strait, while the U.S. and Taiwan consider the strait to be international waters.
The U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet confirmed that a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft conducted a transit through the Taiwan Strait, navigating international airspace in accordance with international law. The statement emphasized that this operation upholds navigational rights for all nations and underscores the United States' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
This incident adds to the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and China over Taiwan, with both nations asserting their positions through military maneuvers in the region.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.